The ARCHAEOLOGIST

Summer 2010Number 76

This issue:

THE STRUCTURESOF BRITISHARCHAEOLOGYTODAY

Benchmarkingarchaeologicalsalaries – anupdate for 2010p8

CPD for diggersp11

The NationalHeritageProtection Planp12

The voluntarysectorp37

The ARCHAEOLOGIST

1S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

O N T E N T SCContents

Editorial

From the Finds Tray

PPS 5 Planning for the Historic Environment – a new era for commercial archaeology? Peter Hinton

The Archaeological Archives Forum: a response to PPS 5 Philip Wise

Farewell to PPG16 Kenneth Aitchison

Benchmarking archaeological salaries – an update for 2010 Kate Geary

Compulsory Continuing Professional Development Kirsten Collins

CPD and the avocational archaeologist Viv Hamilton

CPD for diggers George Luke

The National Heritage Protection Plan Sarah Buckingham and Barney Sloane

Archaeology in Northern Ireland Brian Williams

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: a record for the

future Diana Murray

Archaeology in Wales Gwilym Hughes

The Institute for Archaeologists: why it matters Peter Hinton

Whose heritage? The Heritage Lottery Fund and archaeology Bob Bewley and Ian Morrison

The Portable Antiquities Scheme and Treasure Act Roger Bland

Archaeology for all: the work of the Council for British Archaeology Mike Heyworth

Headland Archaeology Ltd – balancing culture and commerce Tim Holden

Albion Archaeology: Commercial archaeology in a local government setting Hester Cooper-Reade

A combined archaeological service for Worcestershire Victoria Bryant

Welsh Archaeological Trusts Andrew Marvell

Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers: UK Stewart Bryant

Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers Adrian Tindall

The voluntary sector Suzie Thomas

Archaeology Data Service Julian Richards

Our grey literature legacy: opportunity or headache? Catherine Hardman

The Study Group for Roman Pottery Jane Evans

Excavating human remains: a new guidance panel Simon Mays

Review: The Invisible Diggers: a study of British commercial archaeology, Paul Everill

Kenneth Aitchison

New members

Members news

Obituary: Alan McWhirr

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and are actively seeking ways to prioritise projects ina publicly accountable way, p12. We hope that IfAmembers in particular will find time to respond toconsultations that will have an impact on publicarchaeology.

Meanwhile, IfA itself is under the same financialrestraints as the rest of the profession and is similarlylooking for ways to increase impact and save moneyat the same time. The Business Plan fleshes out someaspirations, and a letter about this will be sent to allIfA members. Such stresses did not stop us having anannual Conference that everyone seemed to enjoy,reports from which will fill the next issue of TA (to beedited by [email protected]),nor from moving forward on other projects that youwill also find mentioned in the following pages. I willbe back in the autumn to prepare an issue on themanagement of rural, including coastal, sites, so willbe grateful for stories, whether inspiring orfrightening, on this important topic.

Alison [email protected]

The Structures of British Archaeology today

When this issue of The Archaeologist was planned itwas not hard to predict that its time of preparationwould coincide with great political change, thatsome drastic economies would be proposed in publicheritage services, and there would be downwardpressures on development-led archaeology. Againstthis gloom, we were expecting a new PolicyStatement (PPS 5) for England, together with EnglishHeritage’s Practice Guidance, and with thesedocuments we expected that policies affecting thearchaeology profession would start to catch up withways we usually work today. So far there have beenfew surprises in these predictions. We have generallywelcomed the policies and kind words on the valueof the historic environment that we have heard fromall across the UK during the General Election (eg seePeter Hinton, p5, for England) whilst being deeplyworried on behalf of many members on what thefuture holds.

However, we are confident that archaeologists willmake the most of interesting possibilities opened upby PPS 5 to expand in new directions, whilstsupporting each other as we struggle to maintain highstandards with odds stacked increasingly against us.Even so, there will, for a while, be losses. IfA willcontinue to monitor the situation and to fight on yourbehalf. Colleagues in local government will be undergreat strain (see p34 for ALGAO’s views), yearning tomake the most of opportunities opened by PPS 5 inEngland and statements of good intent in othernations whilst fighting for the existence of their tinyservices. National organisations too must juggleexpanding responsibilities with shrinking budgets,

Contributions and letter/emails are always welcome. TA is made

digitally available through our website and if this raises copyright issues

with any authors, artists or photographers, please notify the editor.

Accessed digitally, web links are especially useful in articles, so do

include these where relevant. Short articles (max. 1000 words) are

preferred. They should be sent as an email attachment, which must

include captions and credits for illustrations. The editor will edit and

shorten if necessary. Illustrations are very important. These can be

supplied as originals, on CD or as email atttachments, at a minimum

resolution of 500 kb. More detailed Notes for contributors for each issue

are available from the editor. Opinions expressed in The Archaeologist

are those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of IfA.

EDITED by Alison Taylor,

IfA, SHES,

University of Reading,

Whiteknights, PO Box 227

READING RG6 6AB

DESIGNED and TYPESET

by Sue Cawood

PRINTED by Duffield

Printers Ltd (Leeds)

Notes to contributors

Themes and deadlines

Autumn: IfA Conference 2010

deadline: 15 June 2010

Winter: Management of rural sites

deadline: 1 October 2010

Spring: Archaeology on the islands

deadline: 1 January 2011

F R O M T H E F I N D S T R AY

Job losses – update Following job-market stabilisation in the second and third quarters of 2009, the number of archaeologists in work inthe final quarter of 2009 fell back to about the level of April 2009. There were approximately 6200 archaeologists in employment on 1 January 2010, down from nearly 6900 at the peak of the building boom in August 2007.

Some firms have been busier than in early 2009, but most organisations have remained much the same size, withmore organisations becoming smaller over this quarter than growing. Two of the three largest contractors haveexpanded (as in the quarter to 1 October), and a small number of business failures without any significant newentrants means that the market is less crowded than it was one year ago. Confidence in the sector is at presentimproving. Most businesses expect to maintain current staffing levels over the next three months, and a significantmajority do not expect market conditions to deteriorate further over the next year. The full report can be downloadedat http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/icontent/inPages/docs/JobLossesJanuary2010.pdfKenneth Aitchison

IfA Code of conductThis has been amended following theEGM in Southport on 14 April. Anupdated version is available on the IfAwbsite. Copies will be sent to allmembers in due course.Alex Llewellyn

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development This new journal, to be launched in 2011, is now looking for short contributions (2000 to 6000 words). Submissions should be sent to the Editors, Ana Pereira [email protected] or Ron van Oers [email protected]. Moreinformation can be found at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/jchmsd.htm.

YAT Fellowship in Historical ArchaeologyThe University of York and York ArchaeologicalTrust have just established a new Fellowship inHistorical Archaeology, with responsibility forresearch and teaching on material culture andurban landscapes. University staff have alreadybeen working with YAT for many years but thenew joint post, to which Jim Symonds, formerlyDirector of ARCUS, has been appointed, willprovides more opportunities. It also represents anew vision for the relationship betweenuniversities and professional archaeology.Julian Richards

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Reburial of Avebury bones rejectedIn 2006 a Druid group asked English Heritage and the NationalTrust to rebury prehistoric human remains from the Avebury areawhich are held in the Alexander Keiller Museum at Avebury. Thisled to public consultation on a draft report on the issues raised.Following this consultation it was decided that the reburialrequest should be refused. The main reasons for this decision are

• the benefit to future understanding from not reburying theremains far outweighs any harm of retention

• the request does not meet criteria of DCMS for consideringsuch requests

• not reburying is the more reversible option• the public generally support retention of prehistoric human

remains in museums, and their inclusion in museum displaysto increase understanding.

The summary and longer reports on the results of theconsultation and of a public opinion survey are onhttp://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19819.

Sebastian PayneChief ScientistEnglish Heritage


On 16 April at IfA’s Annual Conference forArchaeologists in Southport, speakers fromALGAO England (Dave Barrett), theArchaeological Archives Forum (DuncanBrown), Birmingham Archaeology (RogerWhite), CBA (Mike Heyworth), English Heritage(Adrian Olivier), IfA (Patrick Clay, Kate Gearyand Peter Hinton) and Museum of LondonArchaeology (Taryn Nixon) had the firstopportunity to discuss their reactions to the newPlanning Policy Statement for England. Allwelcomed it and identified opportunities toimprove ways commercial archaeologyfunctions and to extract greater public benefitfrom developer-funded archaeological research.There was overwhelming consensus that thevarious organisations represented should worktogether and think creatively and radically aboutthe way we practice our profession. Speakersdescribed how we could create a functioningmarket, helping to deliver Government’s visionfor the historic environment by

• reinforcing the value of cultural heritage insustainable development and as a driver of theeconomy

• building care of the historic environment into localauthority plan-making

• increasing public participation at all stages, fromplanning to archive deposition, curation and study

• protecting and enhancing Historic EnvironmentRecord services, with expert staff

• assessing impacts on the significance of heritageassets, refining and extending products of thecommercial archaeology sector to give a betterservice to planners, developers and public

• identifying criteria for a reasonable, proportionateresponse to development proposals – investigating

or protecting the historic environment where thereare significant values at stake, but promptlyclearing the way for development and regenerationwhere there are not

• building a stronger research ethos into our work

• ensuring work is carried out by accredited practitioners (Registered Organisations or a futurecadre of Chartered Archaeologists)

• insisting on compliance with (improved) IfA standards

• factoring learning opportunities into all work

• providing archaeological resource centrescontaining fit-for-purpose archives, with staff andresources to help the public work with them

• developing a programme for even-handedimplementation across England

In evangelical mood, speakers and audience agreedthat this was the best opportunity to improve practicein England since the publication of PPG16 andManaging Archaeological Projects 2 in the early1990s, and such a situation might not recur foranother twenty years. All agreed by acclamation thata new commission was required to define andarticulate better practice models for archaeology,supplementing or revising the Government’s practiceguide on the PPS and IfA’s Standards and guidance.The speakers agreed to get things moving, chaired byTaryn Nixon, and over the coming weeks will seekmandates from ALGAO, the Archives Forum, CBA,English Heritage, FAME and IfA to participate in themost significant and far-reaching reform ofarchaeology for a generation. As the work goesforward input will be required from moreorganisations, including the property sector whichfunds much of our work.

Peter Hinton MIfAChief Executive, IfA

[email protected]

F R O M T H E F I N D S T R AY

Registered Organisations and the supply side A recent commission of fieldwork by Nexus onbehalf of a local developer in advance of alarge suburban development proposalexemplified how the RO scheme canfundamentally affect the supply side heritagemarket. The county archaeologist required theusual sequence of investigations based on IfAStandards to support an environmental impactassessment and enable informed planningdecisions. Nexus explained to the localdeveloper, who was sensitive to managing hisrisks as much as minimising his initial costs,that the RO kitemark is the hallmark of peer-reviewed professionalism. Nexus thereforesought costs from three IfA RegisteredOrganisations. A local archaeology groupwhich was not asked to quote protested, andNexus has had to explain that, not being anRO, they simply did not meet our or thedeveloper’s qualifying criteria for the tender list– one motive for becoming a RegisteredOrganisation. Gerry Wait

Archaeology in ParliamentThe new Coalition Programme for Government was disappointing, for in the twelve policies for Culture, Olympics,Media and Sport there was no mention of the historic environment,the nearest being a promise on continuing free admission tonational museums (there were five policies for sport), and theQueen’s Speech had nothing on the Heritage Protection Bill.However, Christopher Catling has reported that Ed Vaizey, speaking as the new Culture Minister before he was replaced byJohn Penrose, said to heritage professionals at the Heritage ofLondon Trust’s annual conference on 20 May, that over the eighteenmonths of the parliamentary session other bills could be introduced, and Heritage Protection might be one of these. He said that civil servants were still keen, and he confirmed that ‘we will put as much as possible into practice that doesn’t need legislation’. There would be an opportunity to revisit the draft bill before it is introduced to Parliament. Heritage (but notMuseums) was then separated from Culture, and put with Tourism under John Penrose, and we wait for signs of the attitude of this new department. Already of course we do have theGovernment’s ‘Statement on the historic environment for England’(http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/6763.aspx)and the new Planning for the historic environment (PPS 5)(www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps5)(comments on this follow in this TA), backed by English Heritageguidance (www.english-heritage.org.uk/pps).

ApologiesAn apology is due to John Schofield – in the multi-authored article Serving a wider society: archaeology andhomelessness in Bristol in IfA’s 2010 Yearbook andDirectory a section written by Smiler which contains a reference to drug-taking was inadvertently attributed to John.

In TA 75, p44, the correct copyright statement for the Lidarimage of the Teifi estuary should have been GeomaticsGroup 2007

2020 Vision: a new era in British archaeology?2 July, Merchant Taylors Hall, YorkThe annual meeting of the Federation of ArchaeologicalManagers and Employers (FAME) will consider the future ofBritish archaeology following PPS 5 and similar plannedreforms across the UK. Held in association with ALGAO, itwill include views from both organisations, together withthose of CBA and IfA. Speakers will include Dave Barrett,Stewart Bryant, Mike Heyworth, Peter Hinton, Alan Leslieand Adrian Tindall. Admission is free to FAME and ALGAOmembers, and £40 to non-members, including lunch,morning coffee and afternoon tea. Advance booking isessential. Contact Hilda Young, 01722 343444,[email protected].

PPS5Planning for the Historic Environment – a new era for commercial archaeology?

Peter Hinton

PPS5

7S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

The most important archaeologicalpublication that the UK has seen, Planning Policy Guidance Note 16:Archaeology and Planning (Department ofthe Environment, 1990), has now beenreplaced. With publication of PlanningPolicy Statement 5: Planning for theHistoric Environment on 24 March 2010,the official policy on archaeology and theplanning process in England has beenupdated. In valedictory mode, now is agood moment to remember what the oldPPG did for archaeologists in England, and its impact on the rest of the UK.

Quietly launched at a meeting of the English Historic Towns Forum on 21 November 1990 PPG16didn’t make news headlines – it was reasonablyovershadowed by the announcement next day thatPrime Minister Margaret Thatcher would not becontesting final elections to the leadership of theConservative Party. PPG16 was by no means a nail in her coffin – it was simultaneously both a greenand a blue document, pushing forward the agendafor sustainable development whilst effectivelytransferring financial responsibilities from the state tothe private sector.

It meant that developers, where relevant, had toprovide archaeological information before theirapplication for planning permission was determined,leading to huge expansion in desk-based assessmentsand field evaluations and strengthening the case forpost-determination conditions – excavation as‘mitigation by record’. A major breakthrough was theassumption that this work was the developers’responsibility, and hence their expense. The conceptwas not unknown, especially in London, but each

case had had to be hard fought, and the overall effect was limited. ‘Curators’ now too hadresponsibility for standards of those who were nottheir staff. Archaeologists were given no guidance on how it might be used, but lost no time in robustlyenforcing conditions and defending their case atinquiries. IfA’s Standards and guidance played animportant part here.

This led to the rapid expansion of private sectorarchaeology (from 2200 professional archaeologistsin 1991 to 6865 in 2007). By 2006, 93% of allarchaeological investigations had been instigatedthrough the planning process, and 58% ofarchaeologists’ jobs relied on funding through thisprocess (Profiling the Profession: Labour MarketIntelligence 2007/8). It did not explicitly createcompetitive tendering or minimise the involvement of the amateur, but it empowered developers tochoose an organisation to undertake archaeologicalwork on their behalf, so it inadvertently had theseeffects. Archaeologists were, on average, aged 37 in2007, so a typical archaeologist had not graduatedwhen PPG 16 was published. Most of us have nomemory of working in a pre-PPG 16 environment.

Today, development-led archaeology is themechanism through which British archaeology isundertaken, and it is the humble guidance note PPG16 that was fundamentally responsible for the shapeof British archaeological practice today, and thus formost archaeologists’ experiences, employment andthe very existence of our pay-packets.

Kenneth Aitchison MIfAIfA Head of Projects and Professional Development

[email protected]

Kenneth Aitchison was 20 in 1990. He graduated andentered archaeological employment in 1992.

6 T h e A r c h a e o l o g i s t

Orderly storage –

not exciting, but

essential for future

research and display

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARCHIVES FORUM: a response to PPS 5 Philip Wise

PPS 5 included information on archaeologicalarchives, omission of which had been a serious flawin PPG16. The accompanying Practice Guide byEnglish Heritage also deals with archaeologicalarchives in some detail.

The Archaeological Archives Forum (AAF) had beendisappointed by the limited and unsatisfactory natureof the wording of the section relating to archives inthe consultation draft of the PPS. AAF thereforeproposed ‘Recording and analysis of the historicenvironment should result in an ordered andaccessible archive and provision should be made forthe long term preservation of the archive in anappropriate museum or repository’. The PPS in itsfinal form has ‘Local planning authorities shouldrequire any archive generated to be deposited with alocal museum or other archive depository willing toreceive it’ (HE 12.3). This statement does not indicatehow the archive should be prepared for deposition(‘ordered and accessible’), and makes no reference toensuring the future of the archive in the museum or

archive depository. AAF isconcerned that there is alack of archives expertiseamongst planningarchaeologists and urgesthat this group becomesfully conversant with IfA’sStandards and guidance forthe creation, compilationand deposition ofarchaeological archives.Time will tell whetherpressure can be brought inthose areas of Englandwhere there are stillintractable issues overarchive deposition.

The Practice Guide was also commented on in draftby AAF. This draft text too was brief and incomplete,and so it is encouraging that some AAF revisedwording was incorporated: ‘Securing the archive ofan investigation... will facilitate future research...Compliance with HE12.3 requires the informationgathered as a result of recording... be preserved andmade publicly accessible. Local planning authoritiesare advised to ensure that the compilation, depositionand appropriate conservation of the material, digitaland documentary archive in a museum or otherpublically accessible repository, willing and capableof preserving it, forms an integral part of anyrecording project’ (paragraph 137).

Elsewhere the text is less supportive. The Forum’sproposed ‘It is established good practice that planningauthorities satisfy themselves that the developer hasmade appropriate arrangements for the investigationof the archaeological remains, the analysis andpublication of the results and the long termpreservation and curation of any archive’, became‘Where development will lead to loss of a materialpart of the significance of a heritage asset, policyHE12.3 requires local planning authorities to ensurethat developers take advantage of the opportunity toadvance our understanding of the past before the assetor the relevant part is irretrievably lost. As this is theonly opportunity to do this it is important that... anarchive is created, and deposited for future research’(para 130). There is no mention of who is going to payfor this. AAF is committed to seeking solutions,perhaps including regional resource centres.

So how should we view the approach of PPS 5? Onthe plus side, archives are firmly embedded andgiven equal footing with publication as a requiredoutcome from any archaeological investigation. Theonus on local planning authorities ‘to require’developers to deposit archaeological archives iswelcomed. On the minus side, there is no mention of how the long-term preservation of archives is to beorganised or funded, another great challenge that isfacing us.

Philip Wise MIfAChair, Archaeological Archives [email protected]

The ideal – accessible archives

that can be used by all

P P G 1 6F a r e w e l l t o P P G 1 6Kenneth Aitchison

CPD

9S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

At IfA’s AGM in October 2009 aresolution was passed to run a one-yearpilot scheme to monitor corporatemembers’ compliance with the newrequirement to undertake CPD. The CPD request and monitoring processbegan in January 2010, with requestssent to thirty members from across thecorporate grades. To ensure that arepresentative sample was reviewed this consisted of 20% PIfA, 30% AIfA,50% MIfA grades, corresponding to thecurrent ratio of IfA corporate members.Further requests were sent to the samenumber of corporate members at six-week intervals.

The requests asked members to provide their PersonalDevelopment Plan (PDP) and Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment (CPD) for assessment within six weeks.The requirement of compulsory CPD is that corporatemembers have completed 50 hours CPD activity overa two-year period, starting October 2009. As thiscannot be measured until October 2011 theassessment measures whether

• corporate members provide their PDP and CPD onrequest (dated from September 2009, or sincebecoming a member if after that date)

• CPD tasks tie-in to PDP objectives

The assessment does not review the appropriateness,quality, or otherwise of the CPD and PDP. Corporatemembers will only be required to provide evidenceof CPD every five years, unless they apply formembership upgrade. IfA provides information andsupport to members on how to set up PDP objectivesand the tasks that are linked to them on the CPD log.There is information on the website, including aGuide and examples of PDP and CPD logs.

The response from these early requests has beengood, with some excellent ideas for PDP objectivesand CPD tasks. IfA staff assisted members whotelephoned with queries, and most were surprised athow easy it was to produce a PDP and what couldqualify as a CPD task. The procedure, under thecompulsory CPD scheme, is that failure to produceCPD following two requests (each with six weekdeadlines) results in a letter from the Chair of theProfessional Training Committee (PTC) before thematter is passed to Executive Committee for possibledisciplinary action.

Corporate members no longer actively involved inarchaeology and who feel that CPD recording is notrelevant may wish to consider transferring to Affiliatemembership. Affiliates receive the same services ascorporate grades but may not vote at GeneralMeetings or use the letters after their name. As thecurrent scheme is a trial period of a year, and it willbe reviewed at the 2010 Annual General Meeting,the matter will not go to Executive Committee andcorporate members do not have to considertransferring their membership. Corporate memberswho have been requested to provide CPD will alsobe provided with a feedback form so we can improvethe scheme.

CPD is of benefit to individuals as well as to theprofession, its clients and the public. Nearly allInstitutes require some evidence of CPD todemonstrate that their membership is competent andaware of developments within their sector. Forindividuals CPD is a record of their objectives andachievements within their chosen profession anddemonstrates their professional development.

It is hoped that in introducing compulsory CPDindividuals will become more motivated to increasetheir skills and employers will be more motivated tohelp their employees to do this, resulting in a moreskilled sector overall.

Kirsten Collins MIfAIfA Office [email protected]

Compulsory ContinuingProfessional DevelopmentKirsten Collins


To provide a starting point for discussion on‘reasonable’ rates, the working party undertook toupdate the Benchmarking Archaeological Salariesreport produced in 2007. Updated salary data for theoriginal comparator bodies and industries wasobtained, as far as possible, using the samemethodology as the original study. The results werepresented at the Extraordinary General Meeting heldat the Conference in Southport and showed that themedian salaries of the public sector comparatorgroup had increased by 11.5% since 2007, althoughthis was not uniform across all levels of responsibility.IfA minimum salaries have increased by 6% over thesame period. Pay ranges for the private sectorcomparators had not increased over the period, andin some cases had decreased, but the gap betweenIfA minimum salaries and the lowest equivalentprivate sector pay ranges was still considerably higherthan the public sector gap.

It was agreed that a ‘reasonable’ range for startingsalaries might take a range from the minimum to themaximum comparator salaries and remove the topand bottom 25%. So, for PIfA level responsibilities,the comparator range would be £17,312 to £20,425;with the top and bottom quartiles removed this givesa reasonable starting range of £18,090 to £19,646.For AIfA, the reasonable range would be £24,631 to£28,210 and for MIfA posts, £30,563 to £36,854. It isassumed that such reasonable starting salary rangesform part of a package of expected benefits, yet to bedefined but covering pensions, leave, training supportetc. These are presented as initial results for furtherdiscussion and a consultation paper will becirculated shortly, calling for comments on both themethodology and the results. Updates will beincluded in future editions of TA.

Kate Geary MIfAIfA Training and Standards [email protected]

Following discussion at IfA Council and

elsewhere on the future of IfA minimum

salary recommendations, Council tasked a

working group from Council, IfA’s Working

Practices and Registered Organisations

Committees, the Diggers Forum and

Responsible Post-Holders to develop

recommendations for ‘reasonable’ salary rates

for different IfA grades. This is in line with

recommendations made by other professional

bodies such as the Institute for Conservation

(ICON), the Museums Association, the

Chartered Institute of Librarians and

Information Professionals (CILIP) and the

Institute for Historic Buildings Conservation

(IHBC). Recommended ‘reasonable’ salary

rates would not replace the current minimum

salaries, which Council is still committed to

increasing, but would serve as guidance on

typical starting ranges for comparable levels

of competence/ responsibility.

B E N C H M A R K I N G

A R C H A E O L O G I C A L

S A L A R I E S – an update for 2010Kate Geary

IfA Grade IfA minimum salary Comparator min/max Percentage difference

PIfA £15,054 Min. £17,312 15%

Max. £20,425 36%

AIfA £17,534 Min. £22,842 30%

Max. £30,000 71%

MIfA £22,704 Min. £27,418 21%

Max. £40,000 76%

CPD

CPD

11S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

I have been a field archaeologist for twenty

years, the last four self-employed. Being self-

employed changes the emphasis of

responsibility for developing your knowledge

and skill base and presenting yourself as a

marketable resource. Self-employment makes

you more aware of your expertise, but also of

your skill and knowledge gaps.

Up until 1997 I was a typical circuit digger and wasnot progressing in my career, although I had workedon well over a hundred projects and felt confident inmy abilities. I was regularly employed as an areasupervisor/project supervisor, but sometimessporadically. At present I am consistently employed atsupervisor/project officer level. So what changed forme? I decided to obtain specialist knowledge, initiallyin photography, where I took City and Guilds coursesand chose modules to cover landscape, buildings, sitephotography, and macro-photography of finds. Thisraised my game and made me realise that standardswere not all they could be within the profession. Icompiled a short field manual Photographic methodfor field archaeologists, and used this as a basis forteaching undergraduates at Liverpool University and a

local college. Through writing this manual, myknowledge has increased in the areas of standingbuildings and macro-finds photography.

My second area of development was a consequenceof site practice. I had always asked visiting specialistsgeneral and specific questions about drift geologies/soils but now I consult the Institute of GeologicalSciences gazetteers before I visit a new area to work.I also consult the relevant SMR/HER before I start thenew job. To maintain this as a permanent knowledgebase, I compile a site diary and update as the projectprogresses. In 1997 I decided to formalise thislearning by taking a Diploma in Landscape Science.My third area of development lies in Roman coinidentification and conservation. This is largely selftaught, starting with compiling a field guide toRoman coin identification and metal finds. This is anexcellent way to learn. At the current point in mycareer, skill gaps still exist. I have identified thefollowing three areas for improvement

• surveying: I volunteered to do the surveying on aproject in exchange for training in use of a totalstation

• Desk Based Assessment: my Diploma in LandscapeScience taught me how to locate and identify sitesfrom a variety of sources, develop a programme offieldwalking/earthwork survey, design a trenchlayout to define the sites limits, and write a projectdesign for an excavation. I asked a formercolleague if I could write one for free, on theunderstanding that he would provide the necessarymentoring

• report writing: I studied various report pro-formas,and began writing, with feedback fromindependent editors. I taught myself to use a rangeof documentary sources for pre-site assessment andfor interpretation of excavation results. Finally, Iwrote reports for the public on standing buildings,and again submitted these for independent editorialreview

So don’t wait for your employer to provide thetraining. Create it yourself. Gain practical knowledgein the field, and bolster it with background reading.Talk to specialists. If you can, formalise thisknowledge by gaining qualifications. Also be awareof local and regional research agenda. If you don’tknow how to excavate a pottery kiln, or record astanding timber structure, look at published reports.Never be afraid to ask ‘how do I do this?’ It is thesecret to success.

George Luke AIfA 6045Self-employed field [email protected]

CPD for diggersGeorge Luke


particular fields. There was a transition point when Iprogressed from just being signed up to a communityarchaeology project, to someone who could takeresponsibility in a particular area. Takingresponsibility for the first time is a big learningchallenge – talking with a mentor, project supervisoror someone with experience and reading up othercase studies have been part of my learning for this.

I also have professional skills from my working lifethat I have brought to the archaeological world,including those in management, computers, healthand safety and training management. An example ofthis type of professional development becameapparent when investigating a landscape submergedbeneath a reservoir. A retired civil engineer beganresearching the history of dam building in the 18thcentury. The technical and professional knowledge hebrought was beyond the rest of the team, but thehistorical research was a new area in his professionalknowledge.

If, like me, you are involved in running anarchaeological organisation, there are many ‘generic’skills that you might want to improve. Finally I thinkarchaeology is a subject where there will always besomething new to learn. I started to be seriouslyinvolved in 2003, and even since then areas of thesubject have moved on. Computer tools for GIS,photographic processing, 3D simulation etc are allmuch cheaper and more available. Keeping up todate through conferences and reading will always bepart of my learning, from which I will identify areaswhere I need to update my skills.

Viv Hamilton Affiliate 5015Nautical Archaeology Society

[email protected]

If, like me, you are an avocational (amateur)

archaeologist, you might think that CPD only

applies to paid archaeologists. However, I hope

that my personal experiences will help others to

see this is not the case. Learning new skills,

having new experiences and getting a sense of

achievement are all part of why I got involved in

archaeology. Having a learning plan and

reviewing my learning are good techniques that

improve my learning skills and opportunities.

Having a CPD log and portfolio which

documents my skills and experience may also

help me to be accepted on sites and projects

that are new to me.

My archaeological jobs include roles I take as trusteeof an archaeological society and in various projectswith that society. When I first got seriously involved,my biggest gap was in awareness of archaeology as asubject discipline. Reading archaeologicalmagazines, journals and books, going to conferencesand lectures, watching programmes on television allhelped me understand the breadth of the subject.Courses and field schools got me started with thebasic skills.

As an avocational archaeologist I can choose projectsand experiences, and it is useful to have a learningplan and be selective. The wish list is often longerthan I can fit in a two-year period, but I am directingmyself into activities where I want to develop myexperience. Once I get involved in particular projectsI find there are areas where I need to find morebackground. I’ve also become a regular editor on theWikipedia projects for archaeology, maritime warfareand ships. You might be surprised by how manyavocationals have ended up becoming the experts in

CPD and the avocational archaeologistViv Hamilton

George Luke

13S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

Identifying potential priorities To help consultees understand our proposal better wehave prepared an initial list of issues that we mighttackle. This list is not exhaustive, but it representsissues identified by consultation and our ownexperience and expertise. It is prioritised, drawing onEH expertise in research, strategy, policy, law,heritage protection, and statutory casework. Keyquestions are

Understanding – where are the gaps in ourunderstanding which may lead to damage or loss ofsignificance due to ignorance, and how can we fillthese gaps?

Threat – What are the acknowledged threats whichthe sector may meaningfully counter or mitigate? Arethere opportunities to forestall or negate potentialthreats, for example by securing informedmanagement of an asset or area?

Protection mechanisms – what are the known andtested mechanisms for protecting the historicenvironment which would benefit from the input ofsupport under the NHPP?

NHHP in actionWe envisage the Action Plan having four principalgroupings, all of equal priority and fundamentallyinterrelated.

1 survey and prospection: identification ofpreviously unknown, significant heritage assets andplaces where we can move to establish significance

2 assessment of character and significance:ensuring we can ascribe value, significance andimportance, to focus protection effort where it is mostneeded

3 assessment and response to threat: characterisingand devising responses to the most significant andimmediate threats to value, significance andimportance

4 enhancement of protection: developing anddelivering real protection of value, significance andimportance (through the approaches outlined above)

Under each of these headings we aim to set outActivities. These will be a key structural element ofthe plan, as they will form the priority headlineswhich enable us to group together linked or similarprojects or individual cases within the Plan, allowingmanagement of the range of actions, and allocationof resources to groups of actions on the basis of theagreed priorities. We envisage that an Activity will be

a relatively high-level statement allowing forflexibility in delivery over the plan period andadaptability in the light of changing circumstances.The NHPP will be a five-year rolling programme,reviewed and updated yearly. This makes it a livedocument, although the Action Plan will be moresubject to revision than the statement of principlesand approaches. We will also ensure that at theproject or case level there will be capacity to adjustpriorities to ensure that sudden or unexpectedurgencies can be addressed.

EH resources to fulfil the activities in the Plan will beprimarily those it already deploys for research andprotection. They will be much more sharply focusedand the outcomes of their deployment will be moreclearly articulated. Current budgetary considerationswill play a major role in determining how manypriorities can be carried forward into Activities, andthe scale of work that can be done within thosewhich do form the Action Plan. However, werecognise that the greatest potential offered by thePlan for improving protection may derive from theco-ordination of the work and resources of others.We therefore need to have a broad consensus forpriorities before any resource decisions are taken.

To this end, we are undertaking a pre-consultationsurvey right across the sector to get the views ofcurators, practitioners, academia, voluntary andamenity groups, and the interested public at large.As we write, the direct web-link has not yet been set up, but you will be able to find it for the whole of June 2010 on the English Heritage website(www.english-heritage.org.uk). Your views would bevery welcome indeed.

Sarah BuckinghamHead of Heritage Protection ReformEnglish Heritage1 Waterhouse Square138-142 HolbornLondon EC1N 2ST

Barney Sloane MIfAHead of Historic Environment CommissionsEnglish HeritageRoom 1/40National Monuments Record CentreKemble DriveSwindon SN2 2GZ


The Plan will identify an integrated and holistic suiteof activities, enabling joined-up and co-ordinatedwork across the sector in a way not achieved before.

Forestalling threatsWe are well aware of the magnitude of what needs tobe done to protect a historic environment that isunder threat from many directions, includingbudgetary strains. Whatever we do must be firmlyprioritised to ensure that our resources are sharplyfocused. We will therefore identify the threats,understand how these act on the historicenvironment, and deal with the most threatened first.The Plan should ensure that assets or theirsignificance are not irretrievably lost, while providingearly warning to address or mitigate threats beforeloss becomes imminent. We will also look foropportunities for positive or pro-active measures thatmight forestall longer term threats, and for chances topromote enjoyment and appreciation of the historicenvironment.

Consultation and partnershipThis approach requires effective, early consultationand continuing engagement to confirm that the Planrepresents the will of the historic environment sector,that our activities incorporate the intelligence of allpartners, and that we support wider objectives. Weneed the right mechanisms and lines ofcommunication to ensure that the priorities ofindividual partners can be identified and fed into thePlan in a timely and appropriate manner. The Planwill be constantly developing. Priorities not actedupon straight away will not be forgotten. We willmonitor progress against resources and capacity, andwhere these allow and through a consultative reviewprocess we will refresh the Plan to take on newchallenges and widen the net of protection.

EH has consulted widely already, and this work willcontinue over the coming months, with a wider andmore formalised consultative process. The NHPPmust be a partnership, and that partnership must bebased on common understanding and agreedpriorities for action.

he National Heritage Protection Plan(NHPP) will be the national framework

for English Heritage’s (EH) contribution to protection of the historic environment,

whether buildings, landscapes, buriedarchaeology or maritime heritage. It willallow us to re-align and apply the full rangeof our expertise and resources towardsprotection activities carried out directly byEH, and support others in their protection of what is valued and significant. We believewe have the skills and capacity to make asubstantive difference, by using our strengthsand resources to complement those of otherkey bodies, particularly those on the front-line of statutory systems. EH hopes toencourage a new culture of partnership in the historic environment, and the NHPPcould be a means to pioneer and roll this out, while maximising protection.

Planning for protectionBuilding on the principle at the heart of PPS 5, thePlan will focus on understanding and articulating thesignificance of the historic environment, as the key toits informed and effective protection andmanagement. Direct protection and managementincludes our role in defining significance for listing,scheduling and other designation regimes, statutorycasework, grant aid, and the management andmaintenance of properties. Protection work by others,which can similarly be supported, includes strategicand local planning, local designation regimes,heritage and planning casework, management plansand partnerships, and the maintenance anddevelopment of Historic Environment Records. Inaddition we will identify areas where the state ofknowledge is insufficient, and of wider trends andthemes, enabling risk mapping, technical advice,guidance and advocacy to support protection work.

The National HeritageProtection PlanSarah Buckingham and Barney Sloane

T

15S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

Private sectorCommercial organisations respond to conditionsimposed in the planning process. Some 2000 planningconsultations lead to over 200 archaeologicalexcavations annually, licensed and regulated byNIEA: Built Heritage. The system has had its problemsbut excavation reports are now received on a regularbasis, quality assessed and held in the NIMBR.

University sectorThe School of Geography, Archaeology andPalaeoecology at Queen’s University Belfast combinesArchaeology with Palaeoecology, with an emphasison practical and fieldwork techniques. Much of thishappens through the Centre for ArchaeologicalFieldwork, established 2002, which undertakesexcavations for NIEA: Built Heritage and providesexperience and employment for students and graduates(www.qub.ac.uk/schools/CentreforArchaeologicalFieldworkCAF/). In 2003, the unit was awarded £6.2million for the CHRONO Project (Centre forChronology, Environment and Climate), funding newresearch on environmental and climate change andestablishing an AMS radiocarbon laboratory.

The Centre for Maritime Archaeology (CMA) wasformed in 1999, jointly funded by the University ofUlster and the Department of the Environment forNorthern Ireland, (www.science.ulster.ac.uk/cma/).CMA collaborates with other ESRI Research Groupsand with archaeology and earth science departmentsin Ireland, UK, Canada, Africa, Australia andDenmark. It has developed discrete areas of coastalarchaeology, historical archaeology and marinegeoarchaeology in the UK, Ireland and Africa. NIEAensures that research on cultural and maritimelandscapes reaches a wide audience throughpublications and other methods.

MuseumsThere are 41 accredited museums in Northern Ireland(15 run by local authorities, 10 independents, 4

national museums, 7 National Trust properties and 1university collection). The Northern Ireland MuseumsCouncil (www.nimc.co.uk) represents the sector andprovides information for its members. The principalarchaeological collection is held at the UlsterMuseum which has recently re-opened after majorrenovation. There is a good local collection at theArmagh County Museum.

The National TrustNIEA has been contributing towards anArchaeological Conservation Advisor post within theNational Trust (NT), but this funding ended in Apriland the Trust is seeking funds to allow this useful postto continue. The NT is one of our most importantguardians of the built heritage, caring for hundreds ofmonuments and buildings as well as importantlandscapes. The Archaeological Conservation Advisorhas initiated a work programme within the NT, inconsultation with NIEA, tailoring activities to addresscommon themes and needs, helping to enhance builtheritage records, protect the vulnerable resource andpromote its use and value within the widercommunity. The Conservation Advisor has alsooverseen an ongoing detailed archaeological surveyof Northern Ireland’s NT properties and establishmentof a Historic Buildings Survey Group.

NIEA: Built Heritage, the private sector, universities,museums and the National Trust all work together inrecording, protecting and conserving thearchaeology of Northern Ireland. Whilst ongoingcoordination is required to ensure that the diverse sections all work together in a targeted and efficient manner, the basis for a good systemto protect our built heritage is in place.

Brian WilliamsAssistant Director of Built HeritageNorthern Ireland Environment [email protected] www.ni-environment.gov.uk/built-home

Dundrum Castle,

Co Down: one of

190 monuments

and groups of

monuments in state

care or guardianship

in Northern Ireland.

Crown copyright

Recording using a laser scanner. Crown copyright

NIEA: Built Heritage

– areas of

responsibility.

Crown copyright

Excavation of the early 17th-century town associated with Dunluce

Castle, Co Antrim. Crown copyright

Harnessing the

Tides: The Early

Medieval Tide Mills

at Nendrum

Monastery,

Strangford Lough,

an NIEA publication

which won the

British

Archaeological

Awards Scholarly

Book Award 2008


There are two units, North and South, subdividedinto five regions based on 26 District Councils. Eachregion has a Senior Inspector, Inspector and a FieldMonument Warden and is supported by specialistrecording staff, a direct labour organisation for StateCare monuments and administrative staff. Contractorsare shared for other work. Excavations are undertakenby contracted staff in the Centre for ArchaeologicalFieldwork, Queen’s University Belfast, recording andprotection of maritime archaeology by the Centre forMaritime Archaeology, University of Ulster, and in-house contractors provide professional support forscheduling, area plan work, development control,countryside management, IT project facilitation,NIMBR photograph and drawing, archiving and dataco-ordination, and archaeological editing.

Each Senior Inspector also leads in specialist subjectareas. The Inspector responsible for the North Coasthas a thematic lead for maritime archaeology, NIMBRand agri-environment, whilst South Antrim’s Inspectorleads on archaeological excavation, licensing ofexcavations, archaeological survey and developmentcontrol. Budget constraints are now a problem, asplanning receipts are reduced and the PlanningService has to be supported by the Department ofEnvironment. The archaeology spending budget hasbeen reduced by 30%, affecting contract teams andgrants to bodies such as the National Trust and theNorthern Ireland Archaeological Forum.

Our responsibilities include • proactive management of monuments in state care

and guardianship • a scheduling programme, providing statutory

protection of historic monuments• regulating archaeological excavations (licensing)

and processing treasure• recording archaeological sites and monuments• recording and protecting maritime archaeology

sites • maintaining a Register of Historic Parks, Gardens

and Demesnes • maintaining the Northern Ireland Monuments and

Buildings Record (NIMBR)• advising on the historic environment in strategic

environmental assessments, development plans,and development control consultations, respondingto consultations from government departments andagencies

Archaeology in Northern Ireland, a responsibility of the Department of Environment, lies within theNorthern Ireland Environment Agency in its Built Heritage Directorate. This includes the HistoricMonuments Unit, largely regulated by the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (NI) Order1995, and the Historic Buildings Unit, regulated under the Planning Order (NI) 1991.

Archaeology in NORTHERN IRELANDBrian Williams


field survey, and archive collection, which hascreated an unrivalled hub of knowledge and a richresource. This is dependent on nurturing the expertiseof staff and the organisational culture and traditionshanded down through the generations, whileadapting to new technologies and wider research. Itis unsurprising that RCAHMS has a close relationshipwith university research programmes, welcomesbursary and placement students, and itself isrecognised as an Independent Research Organisationby the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

People and placesOur centenary year in 2008 marked a turning pointwhen we consciously set out to involve a widerpublic in our work. We discovered a burgeoningpublic interest in knowledge online (RCAHMSwebsites collectively receive over 1 million hits perday) and a growing genealogical interest in placesassociated with people (now being developed in anew joint service – ScotlandsPlaces.gov.uk – with theNational Archives of Scotland). From this we havedeveloped a forward-looking strategy to moderniseour public and professional services. We believe thatthere should be a more holistic approach to creatingand sharing knowledge and understanding, andhelping others to understand Scotland’s historiclandscapes and towns, and with this in mind, ourfuture vision is Connecting people to places acrosstime.

Our mission therefore is to help people value andenjoy their surroundings, to provide a world-classrecord of the historic and built environment for local,national and international audiences, and to advanceunderstanding of the human influence on Scotland’splaces from earliest times to the present day. Toachieve this we have four main priorities for thefuture.

Celebration, promotion and prideThe first is to inspire learning and intellectualcuriosity in our national culture and identity at homeand worldwide. We aim to increase the communitiesand individuals who have the opportunity tounderstand and value their local environment.Scotland’s Rural Past (TA 74, p18) is one example ofthis approach, and it will be mainstreamedthroughout our work. We also encourage celebration,promotion and pride in Scotland’s national culturethrough exhibitions and publications, wish toincrease access to cultural resources for formal and

Evolving landscapesChanging values mean that monuments that did notexist a hundred years ago now help tell the story ofthe nation, for example sites from the Second WorldWar, and the scope of what the Royal Commissionon the Ancient and Historical Monuments ofScotland (RCAHMS) investigates has widened toinclude buildings, industrial sites and the maritimeenvironment. Aerial photography demonstrates thechanging faces of Scottish landscapes, changingsocial patterns, the rise and fall of agriculture,industry, coal, steel and shipbuilding, and growth oftowns and cities. Information as a fundamentalbaseline for the historic environment – its study,management and public enjoyment – is beingcollected from landscapes that are still evolving.

Research environmentTo capture this RCAHMS, an IfA RegisteredOrganisation, has an active programme of research,

informal education, and to act as a primary sourcefor doctoral and post-doctoral research projects.

Dynamic national collection Our second priority is to update our collections,through field investigation, research and collecting.The work programme for the next five years isdesigned to ensure we maintain a dynamic nationalcollection for all users, with reliable, well-researchedinformation of a standard high enough to provideessential evidence to underpin conservation andmanagement projects. This requires work inpartnership with a wide range of organisations tomaximise public benefit.

Digital accessOur third priority is to widen digital access to data,making it more interactive and an integral part of aburgeoning world-wide network for the culturalheritage. This will result in better, user-focused onlineservices that provide joined-up resources for thepublic and for stakeholders; an increase in thenumber of digital resources online; and long-termpreservation of digital resources.

Our final priority is to achieve all this in a period offinancial stringency, when it is essential todemonstrate value for money, and continuousimprovements in efficiency, effectiveness andsustainability.

The historic environment has become part of ournational psyche, contributing to our understanding ofour sense of place and identity. It will continue tocome under pressure of change and will continue todevelop its character. An efficient, well-researchedevidence base is required as much today as everbefore.

Diana Murray MIfAChief ExecutiveRoyal Commission on the Ancient and HistoricalMonuments of Scotland John Sinclair House16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 9NX

[email protected] http://www.rcahms.gov.uk

Future RCAHMS: the next five years 2010-2015, 2010http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/assets/files/press/Future_RCAHMS.pdf

(above)

The jumbled remains

of a succession of

prehistoric and

medieval

communities are

sliced through by

the solid lines of a

row of improved

fields at Stanhope

in the upper

Tweed valley.

© RCAHMS

In the early years of the 20th century a new scientific and

systematic approach to the historic environment was

desperately needed. Archaeological information on the OS

maps was described by OGS Crawford as ‘a chaotic mixture of

antiquarianism and speculation’, while the systematically

surveyed and researched evidence required for designation of

monuments under the new Ancient Monuments legislation was

lacking. How do you decide what to protect if you don’t know

what exists? The Royal Commissions were set up to provide that

expert evidence, and the work continues today.

Glasgow,

Hutchesontown.

The development

of high-rise

living, with

Hutchesontown

A and B complete,

and Areas C and D

under construction.

© RCAHMS

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland: a record for the futureDiana Murray

Scotland’s Rural

Past team and

volunteers

exploring a remote,

abandoned

community.

© RCAHMS

The remains of

First and Second

World War

defences such as

the battery control

post pictured here

still litter the

island of Inchkieth

in the Firth of

Forth. © RCAHMS

Children on one

of RCAHMS’

Centenary

workshops man

the defensive pits

(lilia) at Rough

Castle on the

Antonine Wall.

© RCAHMS


think the same. At the heart of this structure lie Cadw,the Royal Commission on the Ancient and HistoricalMonuments of Wales (RCAHMW) and the WelshArchaeological Trusts (p32).

Cadw is part of the Welsh Assembly Government’sHeritage Department and is answerable to theMinister for Heritage. Its mission of providing a better protected and accessible historic environmentis undertaken through its statutory responsibilities, its grant-aided programmes and through managing127 monuments on behalf of the Welsh AssemblyGovernment. RCAHMW is responsible for record and survey and maintains the National MonumentsRecord for Wales (www.coflein.gov.uk). Both Cadw and RCAHMW provide grant-aid to the fourTrusts. Other key organisations employingarchaeologists include the universities, AmgueddfaCymru - National Museum of Wales, the privatesector and the National Trust. Wales is proud of theclose collaboration and partnerships that havedeveloped across these bodies and individuals,typified by a national research framework(www.archaeoleg.org.uk). This Framework is currentlyunder review (a specific action identified in theStrategic Statement and led by the IfA Wales/Cymruregional group) with a conference scheduled inSeptember 2010. Many other initiatives across Waleswere highlighted in TA 75 (‘Archaeology in Wales’).

Partnerships to support the historic environmentextend across the heritage sector. In 2004 WelshMinisters established the Historic EnvironmentGroup, a high-level forum to take a strategicoverview of issues and opportunities and to promotecommon approaches. Its current programme includesclimate change, interpretation strategies, life-longlearning and social and economic impacts –ambitious and challenging agenda. No one shouldunderestimate the financial pressures we face, but asound organisational structure, close partnerships andclear strategic direction make us well-placed to meetthe challenge.

Gwilym Hughes MIfAChief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and HistoricBuildings, Cadw

[email protected]://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=128&navId=15&parentId=15

In IfA’s Yearbook for 2004 I (as Director ofthe Dyfed Archaeological Trust), called for a‘…coherent, inclusive national strategy formanaging the historic environment in itswidest sense, so that it can become fullyrecognised as a force for economicregeneration, as a creator of socialcohesion and as a major contributor to thequality of life of the people of Wales’. Thelaunch of the Welsh Historic EnvironmentStrategic Statement by the AssemblyGovernment Minister for Heritage inOctober 2009 has provided just this focus(www.cadw.org.uk). It details the Minister’sambition for the historic environment and ithighlights areas for action to which he iscommitted during the life of the presentAssembly Government. It also highlightsareas where he looks for support and inputfrom partners.

Nowhere are these partnerships stronger than in ourarchaeological structures. Writing in 2000, GeoffWainwright described archaeology in Wales as ‘…anorderly and well run place’. I hope he would still

The IfA has been growing in size and

influence for nearly 28 years but it has

never lost sight of its core purpose. Our

strategic plan for the next ten years has

been developed with a clear understanding

of the nature of professionalism and the

role professional institutes have in society.

Professionals are people who agree to be bound byan ethical code, have demonstrated the necessarycompetence and are subject to the oversight of theirpeers. The role of professional institutes is to providethat code – our Code of conduct and its supportingby-laws and standards – and to promote goodpractice through education, guidance and aregulatory framework. Regulation is important inarchaeology as in other professions: to ensure thatthose practising have the necessary competence,work to agreed standards, and give good service totheir clients, employers and – most important of all –society in general. That regulation can be ex ante, forexample by assessing the competence or individualsor organisations before admitting them intomembership or on to the Register, or ex post, eg byinvestigating through our disciplinary procedurepotential breaches of the Code after an allegation hasbeen made. IfA does not regulate all archaeologists –only its members, those who truly meet the abovedefinition of professional. We depend on self-regulation. The practice of archaeology is notregulated by Government: the onus is on theprofession to regulate itself.

The role of the professional institute is unique. Noother heritage body – state, private or voluntary – isset up to take on this function. That is why IfAmembers are so important to the future of historicenvironment practice. They have joined anorganisation that decides democratically how theprofession should be regulated, imposing greaterdemands upon their practice than law and themarketplace alone require because they know that

only in this way can they ensure that all work isconsistently done as it should be. Our problem is thatnot every archaeologist in the UK has made thatcommitment. Non-members are not, of course,deliberately undermining archaeological work, butthat is the effect. Put positively, the more members,we have the higher the proportion of archaeologistscommitted to professional standards, the stronger ourinfluence and the greater our chances of becoming achartered profession.

Of course, the Institute is not just about regulations,rulebooks and disciplinary processes. Most of ouractivity goes into identifying and encouraging goodpractice rather than demanding it. IfA members overthe years have devoted huge amounts of time andeffort into helping fellow professionals improve theway we do things: by drafting guidance to underpinour Standards; by drafting Practice papers, by writingarticles for this magazine – and now for our newjournal, by giving papers at conferences, by runningtraining courses and workshops, by hostingworkplace learning interns, or by serving on IfACouncil, committees, groups or RegisteredOrganisation inspection panels. Those affectionatelytermed ‘super-members’ who help in this way say ‘weshould be doing even more’; others less active say‘you are not doing enough’.

As we enter a new world (new planning guidancearrived or emerging in different parts of the UK, newpolitical alignments and governments, unprecedentedreductions in public spending), the role of theInstitute and professionalism will be more importantthan ever. That is going to require redoubled effortfrom us all.

Peter HintonChief Executive, IfA

Harlech Castle

World Heritage

Site, one of 127

monuments in the

care of Cadw.

Photograph: Cadw,

Welsh Assembly

Government

(Crown Copyright)

Archaeology in Wales THE INSTITUTE for ARCHAEOLOGISTS :

why it mattersPeter Hinton

GwilymHughes


Transforming archaeologyIn fact, it has a critical role. Since 1994 HLF hasawarded over £144 million to more than 850 projectsthat focus on archaeology. Most has gone oncommunicating the value of archaeology tounderstanding the past, on conservation of importantarchaeological sites (such as Offa’s Dyke), improvedinterpretation and communication (eg at Vindolandaand Roman Maryport), and involving people insurvey, excavation and research (for example, atSilchester). This is a crucially important part of whatarchaeology needs. The archaeological profession hastransformed the way it communicates anddisseminates its results, discoveries, new theories andinterpretation – there are few professionals who stillpromote the traditional post-excavation monographas the most effective way of engaging with the public.We have come to terms with the public view ofarchaeology as a leisure activity. We know theimportance of a rigorous archaeological approach,but recognise that people are more interested inbeing involved in the processes of discovery,investigation and conservation. Fun need notdiminish professionalism, nor the contribution toresearch and understanding, but sometimes it seemsthat it may.

Support for innovat ionPerhaps this is why projects with an archaeologicalfocus account for only 3% of HLF grants over the past

Two founding principles of the Lottery are

the need for money to be used for projects

that benefit the public in ways that are

additional to normal services and which

improve the lives of as many people as

possible. As a consequence, HLF has

developed ways of working that make it

responsive to the ticket-buying public – and

recognise that one person’s idea of heritage

may be quite different from another’s.

Values and opportuni t iesApplicants must therefore demonstrate what it is theyvalue, and why it should be handed on to successivegenerations. Learning is a mandatory requirement forall projects, to ensure benefits reach the maximumaudience. This of course does not mean traditionalclassroom teaching, but rather opportunities to takepart in, and to learn about, their own and otherpeople’s heritage.

Because we must complement rather than supplantother sources of funding and must ensure benefits arewidely shared, we cannot fund activities that arerequired by Government policy, such as developmentcontrol posts or developer-led excavation. Nor canwe support academic research programmes withlimited participants and audience. We know what thepressures are, but funding responsibility rests with thestatutory agencies, other public institutions and withthe private sector. So how does HLF engage witharchaeology?

16 years. So, new applications and new applicantsare actively encouraged, especially if they areinnovative and attract new audiences. The innovationmay be a fresh approach or a new technique ortraining in a skill which will have a lasting impact. Or projects might encourage people who have notpreviously expressed an interest in archaeology totake part. HLF recently published a leaflet onCommunity Archaeology (www.hlf.org.uk) coveringsome of the projects we have funded and the publicbenefits they provided. We hope these case studieswill inspire more people to approach HLF with newideas. So far, we have awarded around £19 million to550 community archaeology projects and there isscope for many more.

Threats and the futureArchaeology needs the involvement of the public tosafeguard its future. Threats to our fragile resource arewell documented: agriculture, coastal erosion, mineralextraction, burrowing animals, changing vegetation,de-watering and other climate change impacts arecumulatively eroding crucial evidence. EnglishHeritage has shown that nearly one in five scheduledmonuments are at risk, and Defra’s consultation oncoastal change policy (http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/coastal-change/consultation-doc.pdf) makes it clear that there will not besufficient public money to record, let alone conserve,features that will be reclaimed by the sea.

With threats like these and pressures on publicfinances so acute, the only realistic option is togalvanise communities to document their localheritage before it is lost. People do want to be involved– archaeology has an enduring appeal. It offersexcellent opportunities for volunteering and forlearning new skills, and there are few better ways toactively learn about our heritage. The trick is to knittogether the enthusiasm of the public with thetechnical expertise and standards of the professional,to develop projects that meet the requirements of both.

We recognise there is a capacity issue here. With thepressures on local authority budgets and commercialarchaeological organisations alike, seeking grantsdirectly from HLF or helping others with theirapplication may not be a high priority. We need tofind a way around this. Archaeology needs the public to sustain it in the long term, and HLF is asource of significant finance to facilitate this. With acontinuing focus on communities and local agenda,and in the knowledge that the heritage is all aroundus, we must finds yet more ways to hand archaeologyback to the people.

Bob Bewley MIfA and Ian Morrison AIfAHeritage Lottery Fund

[email protected] www.hlf.org.uk

Exploring a graveyard in Camden as part of an archaeology

workshop. Photograph: Camden Archaeological Workshops

A volunteer using an alidade to record historic rural settlements

across Scotland. Crown copyright: RCAHMS

Volunteers on an excavation near Wrexham. Photograph: Caer

Alyn Archaeological and Heritage Project

A group in Suffolk share opinions on excavated finds. Photograph:

Suffolk Garbology Project

Whose heritage? The Heritage Lottery Fund and archaeology

Bob Bewley and Ian Morrison

23S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

CUTS, REVIEWS AND BURSARIESAnd yet only two years ago, after MLA’s budget hadbeen cut by 25% in the Government’s last spendingreview, our future was in doubt. A campaign attracted wide support, including an early day motionby 229 MPs, and a letter signed by seventeen leading professors of archaeology. 2008 was still adifficult year: the budget was frozen and three postslost. MLA commissioned a review of the Schemewhich reaffirmed its importance and led to arestoration of its funding. As a result the team ofNational Finds Advisers was strengthened and thenetwork of Finds Liaison Officers was reinforced inareas of greatest need – the North East and Berkshire.A grant of £148,000 from the Headley Trust to fundinternships has provided welcome help to the FLOswhile creating training opportunities for recentgraduates, and this has been reinforced by an IfAWorkplace Learning Bursary in Sussex.

SUPPORTING RESEARCHThe archaeological significance of the Scheme is nowbecoming clearer, as research projects exploit thedatabase. At the last count there were six majorprojects funded by research councils, 26 PhDs and38 other post-graduate dissertations using PAS data. A particular focus has been AHRC’s programme ofcollaborative PhDs, working on projects devised byPAS in co-operation with university lecturers. In oneexample, in his study of how PAS data add to ourknowledge of the Roman historic environment TomBrindle has shown that in Worcestershire andWarwickshire finds recorded by PAS have increasedknown Roman settlements by 30.4%.

The recent release of a more user-friendly onlinedatabase (www.finds.org.uk) should encourage moreresearchers to use PAS data, which now incorporatethe Celtic Coin Index and Peter Guest’s database ofover 52,000 Iron Age and Roman coins found inWales. The new website will allow registered users to record their own finds, expanding the potential of the Scheme. The completion of a data transferfunction in the exeGesIS HBSMR programme lastyear has meant that PAS data is integrated into agrowing number of HERs.

Last year the Coroners and Justice Act went throughParliament, providing the first opportunity to amendthe Treasure Act since 1996. The All-PartyParliamentary Archaelogy Group helped secureimportant changes, including

■ a Coroner for Treasure, to make declaring a find tobe Treasure quicker and more efficient

■ the Coroner of Treasure may designate FLOs as the

reporting centre for Treasure, normalising currentpractice

■ anyone in possession of Treasure must report it, toensure antiquities dealers make appropriate duediligence checks. Since 2006 the British Museumhas had an agreement with eBay to monitor its sitefor items of unreported Treasure

■ DCMS will review the Act in 2011, an opportunityto examine other improvements such as extendingthe definition of Treasure to hoards of Roman base-metal objects and, perhaps, single finds of Romanand Anglo-Saxon gold coins.

It is disappointing that the Government hassubsequently announced that these changes will notbe implemented until April 2012.

Of course not all is perfect: the recent survey ofillegal metal detecting, or nighthawking, sponsoredby English Heritage showed that this is a significantproblem in certain areas, but recent secondment of aserving police officer to advise on these issues is awelcome move and there have been several arrestsrecently. Another challenge is large metal-detectingrallies where several hundred detector users descendon one site over a weekend: securing an adequaterecord at such events is a major problem for PAS. Sothe recent revision of the handbook for entry-levelagri-environment schemes, which places controls ondetecting rallies, is a welcome step.

At present the budget for PAS (£1.4m pa) is fixedonly until April 2011 and we await the outcome of the next spending round. A cut that would by tiny in Government terms could easily undo the progress of the last twelve years.

Roger BlandHead of Portable Antiquities & TreasureBritish MuseumLondon WC1B 3DG

First sightings – the

Anglo-Saxons in

Staffordshire, as

found in the soil

A small part of the

Staffordshire hoard.

© Birmingham

Museum and Art

Gallery


QUEUES AND CASHBritish Museum staff who administer the Treasureprocess played a crucial role in facilitating valuation ofthe hoard by the independent Treasure ValuationCommittee, and the Art Fund led a fundraisingcampaign to ensure that the hoard stayed in the WestMidlands. The target was quickly reached, with anunprecedented £900K from individual donations.When selections from the hoard were put on temporarydisplay in Birmingham and Stoke museums peoplewere willing to queue up to three hours to see thefinds, and the 50,000 visitors to Stoke donated£152,000. All this was achieved within ten months. Thehoard is already changing our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon material culture in Mercia and the project toconserve, research and publish it got underway with asymposium at the British Museum in March.

It is difficult to imagine what would have happenedto this find without the Portable Antiquities Scheme.Terry Herbert would certainly have wished to reporthis find for he is a responsibly-minded individual, butthe response mechanism that swung into action soquickly last summer would not have been there.

Huge public interest excited by the

hoard of over 1600 Anglo-Saxon

gold and silver objects found in

Staffordshire has put the Portable Antiquities Scheme

and Treasure Act centre stage. Terry Herbert, the metal

detector user who made the discovery, reported his find

to Duncan Slarke, the local Finds Liaison Officer, and

Duncan played a pivotal role in ensuring that the

remainder of the find was excavated by Birmingham

Archaeology under the direction of archaeologists from

Staffordshire County Council with funding from the

County Council and English Heritage. Terry’s report of

his find did not come out of the blue: he had been

showing finds to his local FLO for the last five years.

Kevin Leahy, PAS National Finds Adviser and an authority

on Anglo-Saxon artefacts, dropped everything to study

the hoard, while Dan Pett built a website, important in

making information about the find public.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme and Treasure ActRoger Bland

25S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

this thriving area – such as through our doubleaward-winning online Community ArchaeologyForum (www.britarch.ac.uk/caf). Engagement ofyoung people with archaeology has also been a keyfocus. We provide research data to support Key Stage3 of the National Curriculum in England, and haveplans to develop the Young Archaeologists’ Club (for8-16 year olds) even further.

Wide audiencesGreater participation in archaeology is inspired byaccessible publications, and CBA continues to be amajor publisher of these. Our books on Anglo-Saxonclothing and the archaeology of Doggerland havereached especially wide audiences. BritishArchaeology and Young Archaeologist are widelyread and carry news of the latest discoveries andresearch, whilst our online journal InternetArchaeology (a collaboration with the University ofYork) leads the way in making archaeologicalknowledge available in multi-media presentations.Publications are backed up by research tools andservices, such as the online British & IrishArchaeological Bibliography.

CBA also plays a leading role in encouraging use ofinformation technology. It not only provides facilitieswidely used by others (our servers host the web sitesof the IfA, ALGAO and others), but we alsoencourage the application of new technology, forexample using wiki software for CAF, and allowingeveryone to follow the CBA Director on Twitter(@mikeheyworth)!

Campaigning and advocacyIn the 21st century we work with many partners andumbrella organisations to promote our long termgoals and charitable objectives. With core fundingfrom the British Academy, we support groupsincluding The Archaeology Forum and theArchaeology Training Forum, ensuring a morecollaborative and well-informed approach tocampaigning and advocacy work. The ability to offerdirect support to the All-Party ParliamentaryArchaeology Group in the UK Parliament, and workwith other organisations which can focus on theScottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and theNorthern Ireland Assembly will be even moreimportant in the years of austerity to come.

The connection with the planning system as aNational Amenity Society in England and Wales isalso significant for our advocacy role. Our locus incommenting on the implications of planningapplications which may affect the historic andarchaeological interest of heritage assets carriesincreasing importance, particularly alongside our

ongoing interest with the impact of climate changeon the historic environment.

This is a year of transition, while we plan for the nextdecade and beyond. We need to find more long-termsolutions to fund our portfolio of activities,particularly if we have to rely less on public funding.Key to our future will be the expansion of ourorganisational and individual memberships. Millionsof people have an active interest in archaeology: ourkey task is to reach out to these people and gain theirsupport for the public benefits of archaeology. All IfAmembers will share this aim, so we encourage you tosupport our work by joining as individual CBAmembers and helping us to spread the word.

Mike Heyworth MIfADirector, Council for British Archaeology

[email protected]


Over the second half of the 20th century CBAstrengthened and diversified its work programme,working in partnership with an increasing range oforganisations across the historic environment. It wasitself involved in establishing a number ofindependent bodies to represent specific areas of thearchaeological discipline, including IfA.

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) was established in

1944 to promote the urgent requirements of archaeology in the

aftermath of the Second World War. An original objective was

‘safeguarding of all kinds of archaeological material and the

strengthening of existing measures for the care of ancient and

historic buildings, monuments and antiquities’, and gaining

public support for archaeology was key to this. We have since

become the first port of call for anyone wishing to engage with

archaeology, offering advice and guidance via our web

resources, factsheets and Practical Handbooks, and through

our trustees, staff, volunteers and a network of national and

regional groups. We provide accurate, up-to-date information

to enable others to develop their interests and get involved

with archaeology.

Archaeology for all: the work of the

Council for British Archaeology

Mike Heyworth Public archaeologyCBA is concentrating to an increasing degree onencouraging active public participation (‘archaeologyfor all’). A hallmark of its work over the past 65 yearshas been an innovative approach to publicarchaeology – for example, it was the firstorganisation in the world to establish an industrialarchaeology section and, more recently, to involvevolunteers in recording 20th-century military remainsacross the UK. More participation projects are beingplanned to encourage everyone to engage withphysical aspects of the historic environment. Topicsthat we are tackling include coastal sites, ruinedchurches and First World War military remains.

Lifelong learning and engagementIn 2009 three major research projects looked atdifferent aspects of public engagement witharchaeology (www.britarch.ac.uk/research). Thedecline in adult continuing education in highereducation institutions was documented, whilst theongoing desire for lifelong learning througharchaeology was clearly demonstrated. Some of thisinterest is being picked up by communityarchaeology groups which are flourishing across theUK, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund(p22). CBA research has identified over 2000voluntary groups engaged with archaeology (p37)and we are seeking ways to expand our support for


the holding company, Headland Group Ltd, whileday to day business is undertaken by threesubsidiaries, Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd,Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd andArchaeological Investigations Ltd. Headland is a trulycommercial, limited liability company. We pay fullcorporation tax, commercial rates and receive nofinancial support, or guarantees from largereducational establishments or local authorities.

SHARE OWNERSHIPThe company is entirely owned by its shareholders.Until recently, there were just six owners who had alljoined the company in its infancy, but last year thepurchase of shares was opened to any staff memberwith more than twelve months’ service. We nowhave 18 shareholders including managers and fieldand clerical staff. Shares provide regular dividendsand, as owners of the company, shareholders haveadditional influence at board level. Of course, shareownership is not for everyone, but we feel thatbecoming an owner of a growing company is oneway of getting more proactive about one’s future.

Headland Archaeology Ltd was foundedin 1996, one of a number of privatesector companies that sprang up in thatdecade offering archaeological servicesto developers. Like other successfularchaeological organisations we had toadd considerably to our original skillsbase and to earn a reputation forworking alongside the constructionindustry, where it is essential that wefind the correct balance betweencustomer focus and best practicearchaeology. Our story reflects the wayarchaeologists have adapted to workingin the new environment.

Our structure provides for a single strategic overview,whilst regional directors focus on regional solutionsfrom offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cork, Galwayand Hereford. This overview is currently provided by

ETHOS AND CLARITYBeing clear about what you stand for is harder thanyou might think, but it helps attract the right staff,right clients, right business partners and should makeeverybody’s life easier. We all came into theprofession because of an interest in archaeology, butwe would also like to make a decent living.Headland intends to make this possible by getting thecorrect balance between commerce and culture, sooften presented as mutually exclusive. Having abusiness focus and demonstrating value to our clientsneed not translate into poor archaeology and lack ofcare for the historic environment.

Getting the trust of our clients is often difficult – whyis that? Some are suspicious, many are confused andlet’s be honest – it is confusing! We havearchaeologists as curators, consultants andcontractors (it doesn’t help that they all begin with‘C’). At the contracting level we have charitabletrusts, local authorities, universities and commercialcompanies. Clients may not know if they all do thesame thing, whether some have hidden agenda andperhaps, most importantly, who is making thedecisions about their project. The industry has toaddress some serious split-personality issues or we(the commercial archaeologists) will continue to bebranded as part of the problem by our clients andsomehow to blame for finding things. Contrast thiswith other contaminated-land specialists who arehailed as a part of the solution, dealing properly withdifficult situations and enabling projects to continue.

PRESSURES AND BENEFITSCommercial pressures on developer-fundedarchaeology will not go away: someone has to payfor our services. Our job is therefore to ensure thatwhat we do is relevant to our client’s objectives andthat our managers are experienced and confidentenough to know what is important and what is not,and how to apply best practice within a commercialenvironment. This is a professional response, and willultimately start to address the issue of appallingindustry salaries.

An important benefit of being a commercial company is that we can make decisions withminimal interference from external bodies. We canbuild different kinds of relationships with clients and offer different services. We can experiment forexample with extended share ownership, staff bonus payments, different roles and responsibilities

that recognise both the ‘anchors’ and the ‘movers’ inour company.

STRUCTURES AND TRAININGProblems also present opportunities, and the not-for-profit culture of our industry leaves companies likeours with a number of interesting challenges. Ofcourse the ‘level playing field’ does not exist and wehave to prosper in spite of tax and financialadvantages afforded to archaeological organisationsoutside the private sector. This requires us to be moreefficient and more business-like, and we areinherently more in tune with our clients who face thesame commercial pressures.

Like all archaeological IfA Registered Organisationscontractors we are reliant on clear industry standardsand strong local authority curators who are preparedto reject sub-standard work. IfA and its entiremembership have a key role in this, setting standardsand supporting often isolated local authorityarchaeologists. In a recession we cannot afford to getit wrong. Our industry is very young and as thedeveloper-funded sector matures it is essential thatwe develop a business-like culture with the rightstructures and training in place to ensure effectiveprotection for our historic environment.

Tim Holden MIfAManaging DirectorHeadland Archaeology (UK) Ltd13 Jane Street, Edinburgh EH6 [email protected]

A pottery kiln at the

Caledonian Pottery,

M74 completion

project, Glasgow

Evaluation

trenches, Drax,

North Yorkshire

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY Ltd – ba l anc ing cu l tu re and commerceTim Holden

HE

AD

LA

ND H

EA

DL

AN

D

29S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

competition and with mechanisms to avoid conflictof interest, organisations which combine several rolesare not by definition unfair.

Public benefitAll local authority archaeology exists within apolitical and organisational environment that issubject to constant change. Election of newmembers, re-shuffles, unitary transition, efficiency-savings leading to organisational changes and the re-arrangement of back-room support, response togovernment initiatives and other non-archaeologicalfactors impact directly and immediately. And weknow it will soon be worse. One need remains fixed– to justify commercial archaeology in terms ofsocial, economic and political usefulness. Localauthority contracting is still as alive and kicking asany other type of archaeology, and there are morelocal government archaeological officers employed incontracting archaeology than in HERs and planningadvice. Local authorities are well-placed to re-investincome in their commercial services to providepublic benefit, and an active local presence withinthe community allows development of relationshipswith stakeholders that engender public support andinterest in the historic environment.

Given the changes to local government on thehorizon, the irony of writing this article is not lost.However, PPS 5 in England and the increasedrequirements for public benefit are good reasons whylocal authority archaeologists are in an excellent, ifby no means exclusive, position to deliver nationaland local government agenda. We should not losesight of the relevance of the local authority model inthe PPS 5 age, nor the fact that it is perfectly possibleto trade as a local authority archaeological practicein a legal, fair and very business-like way.

Hester Cooper-Reade MIfABusiness ManagerAlbion ArchaeologySt Mary’s ChurchSt Mary’s StreetBedford MK42 0AS

[email protected]

A hengiform

monument found in

advance of road

building(Biddenham

Loop) near Bedford.

Excavations before

development are a

significant part of

the growth agenda

Public benefit: working with finds. Outreach is part of the public benefit ethos of Albion

Archaeology. A range of activities including activity days and school visits inform, educate and

contribute to a sense of place and well-being

Visitors to Bedford High Street are drawn into more understanding of their historic environment

by direct engagement with work in progress

Work with the Bedford Museum Saturday archaeology club recording a Second World War

pill box in a public space in a Bedfordshire town. Place-shaping: an understanding of the past

history of a community and how this has shaped the current environment can add to social

cohesion and a sense of place


benefit, research, professional ethics and thesustainable protection of the historic environmentwith the need to offer value for money, customer-focus and proportionality to the developer. This lies atthe heart of what some in the profession call marketfailure. It touches on aspects from curatorialdecisions to implementation of those decisions, formost archaeological organisations work in the samefragile market and are expected to deliver similaroutcomes to our clients and to the profession.

Suspicion and bureaucracyOf all the organisational models within commercialarchaeology, the local authority one is treated with themost suspicion and suffers from many myths, chiefamongst them accusations of unfair commercialadvantage and inability to run as a business. On theother hand, interminable bureaucracy, auditrequirements, and the ‘one glove fits all’ systems-driven approach are seen as grinding downinnovation, creativity or commercial success. I am notsure that this is fair. As local authorities increasinglyfocus on customer needs and as the mechanisms fortrading and income generation change, most localauthority contractors are unrecognisable to those thatexisted twenty years ago.

Given the public benefits of archaeology and themechanisms that prevent conflict of interest, it isperhaps strange that the dual contracting andcuratorial role is so uncomfortable to manyarchaeologists. In my opinion this discomfort is aparticularly archaeological reaction, and it hasskewed the stated purpose of archaeological briefsaway from management of the archaeologicalresource towards the contractual process, ‘to allowcontractors to cost work’ with a ‘level playing field’.In some authorities the senior archaeologist overseesboth contracting and curatorial functions, in others,such as Albion Archaeology, this is not the case,possibly more in recognition of the businessrequirements of the contracting function than theneed for Chinese walls. After all, local authorityofficers must balance conflicts between public,elected member and organisational interest on adaily basis. Competition needs to be fair and legal,but not all archaeological work is subject to

In TA 70 Adrian Tindall described the process bywhich Cambridgeshire County Council’s field serviceCAM ARC was out-sourced to an external provider.Interestingly the main reason given for externalisationwas difficulty in reconciling curatorial and contractualroles, although the article later included bureaucracyand time-consuming corporate obligations as otherreasons why local government and commercialarchaeological practice are not easy bed fellows. Asmanager of Albion Archaeology, a local governmentservice similar in size, geographical scope andoperating method to the former CambridgeshireCounty Council unit, the article did not go unnoticedand much of its content was familiar. Like CAM ARC,Albion Archaeology was re-branded (1999) prior toan externalisation bid. However, unlike CAM ARC, theexternalisation never happened and my experiencesof the local authority model allow me to offer analternative perspective. This article is written from apersonal viewpoint and I am not suggesting that ourmodel is better or more appropriate than theeducational trust, private company or university.

Funding and delivery debatesFifteen years ago anyone extolling the virtues of localauthority archaeology would have launched into thenow largely silent competitive tendering debate, butsome aspects of this debate around funding anddelivery are still relevant. Commercial archaeology ishere to stay, but the profession has not yetsuccessfully reconciled the requirements of public

Albion Archaeology: Commercial archaeology in a local government setting Hester Cooper-Reade Albion

VictoriaBryant


way to ensure flexibility, high standards andinnovation whilst lowering risk.

■ FieldworkFor over thirty years WHEAS has undertaken contractarchaeology in Worcestershire and adjoiningcounties, including providing specialist services forother archaeological organisations, such as buildingrecording, finds and environmental analysis, andillustration. We have invested in the specialistelements of our Service in order to develop a morerobust business model and to support our curatorialfunctions. For example the County pottery fabricseries (www.worcestershireceramics.org) ensures thatall pottery specialists have easy access to our fabricdefinitions. National projects range from theExtensive Urban Surveys of the 1990s to HistoricLandscape Characterisation and, most recently, thenational pilot for the COSMIC+ project (Conservationof Scheduled Monuments in Cultivation). This project,funded by Natural England, will deliver an effectivemethodology for assessing archaeological sitesaffected by arable cultivation, to underpin HigherLevel Stewardship.

■ Curatorial workOur Curatorial Section advises on management andconservation of historic environment features,buildings and landscapes and maintains standards forarchaeological work. It works with the County’sstrategic and environmental planning team andplanners within the districts to deliver initiatives suchas Green Infrastructure. We have made the case thatarchaeological data is not just important in a culturalor social context but contributes to projects such asmanagement of flood risk and National Indicatorssuch as Adapting to climate change NI188. Thewelcome arrival of PPS 5 will increase ourcontribution to economic development whilstmaintaining our historic environment.

■ Historic Environment RecordsWorcestershire’s HER is a constantly developing,public record covering 23,000 sites. It is the core ofeverything we do and we aim to increase itsusefulness as a planning and management tool aswell as for research and education. In the light of PPS5 and the vision it outlines, the HER needs to ensurethat curatorial decisions are informed by high-levelunderstanding of the resource and its potential;fieldwork and post-excavation is informed byunderstanding contexts of discoveries; and

Worcestershire Historic Environment andArchaeology Service (WHEAS), an IfA RegisteredOrganisation, is part of the County Council and hasa brief to advise upon and manage the historicenvironment of the county (as a two tier authority,there is a separate archaeologist and HER forWorcester). We are part of Heritage Services,alongside the Record Office, Museums and Arts,and within Adult and Community Services. Thisposition has allowed us to develop our research,social and educational roles whilst working withcolleagues in the districts, County strategic plannersand other professional organisations.

Worcestershire County Council supports thecuratorial and HER functions of the Service and funds6.5 posts (we have 5 curatorial, 5 HER, 33 Field and2 support staff). We raise external funding forspecialist archaeological resources and communityprojects, and this model of combined services withina local authority frame work has proved to be a good

researchers at all levels can gain easy access to dataand synthesis.

Over the last ten years the HER has developedsignificantly, with creation of new software andproduction of resources such as the OnlineArchaeology Library www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/library to disseminate grey literature. Wehave created indices of finds and environmentalremains from all archaeological fieldwork from the18th century to the present and digitised a wide rangeof historic mapping. The HER team has been involvedin development of standards and guidelines for HERsand in providing case studies of good practice forEnglish Heritage. Development of the HER has been aresult of working closely with specialist colleagues inthe Field and Curatorial Sections.

■ OutreachAll parts of the Service are involved in outreach, andwe have two community and educational specialists.We have strong links with the community throughour network of volunteers (830 hours/118.5 days permonth) and thirty years work with local societies. Allstaff are involved in day schools, guidedarchaeological walks and Worcestershire YoungArchaeologist Club, and we work alongsidecommunity groups on Heritage Lottery-fundedprojects. We have been commissioned to undertake15 Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund initiatives,including Unlocking the Past – Outreach Project,which was highlighted as a national exemplar,delivering benefits to communities affected byaggregate extraction.

■ Looking aheadIn July 2012 the Historic Environment andArchaeology Service will move into a new buildingin the centre of Worcester, alongside the RecordOffice, the City and University Libraries and theWorcestershire Customer Service Hub. The WorcesterLibrary and History Centre (snappier title to beconfirmed) is a landmark building and will provideus with a rather more glamorous home than we areused to. Delivery of an enhanced public service in anew building, despite having significant cuts to ourbudgets over the next three to four years, will be achallenge. The move onto HER software enabling usto be part of English Heritage’s Heritage Gateway willhelp, but in the end, as usual, it will be down toworking together to identify resources and deliver acost-effective solution.

Victoria Bryant MIfAHistoric Environment and Archaeology ServiceManagerWorcestershire Historic Environment andArchaeology ServiceWoodbury, Henwick GroveUniversity of Worcester Worcester WR2 6AJwww.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology

Worcestershire Young

Archaeologists at Avoncroft

Museum of Historic

Buildings have a surprise

visit from Time Team’s Mick

Aston. Photograph:

Worcestershire County

Council

Artist’s impression of Worcester Library and History Centre, is a partnership project between the County

Council, University of Worcester, Worcester City Council and Advantage West Midlands

Working within a

Middle Iron Age

settlement at Clifton

Quarry,

Worcestershire.

Excavations

uncovered over 84

four-post granaries.

Finds include loom

weights, daub and

evidence for metal

working.

Photograph:

Worcestershire

County Council

A combined archaeological service for WORCESTERSHIRE

Worcestershire’s Countryside Advisor training volunteers in

preparation for validation of Lidar features recorded in Wyre Forest

as part of the HLF Landscape Partnership Scheme Grow with Wyre.

Photograph: Worcestershire County Council


have commissioned external validation. Withspecialist IT consultancy advice the Trusts have builta common system for management of digital HERs, asystem that was designed from the outset to be web-based. It is already in full use, and the public frontend (Archwilio – ‘to research’) will be launched thissummer. Once achieved, Wales will be the first homenation to make all its HERs available on the internet.The records will be ‘live’ and there will be systemsthat enable new records, additional information, orcorrections to be fed back by users. This is one ofmany examples of collaboration by the Trusts.

Common purposeThe fruits of working together for a common purpose,in partnership with Cadw and RCAHMW, can beseen in the pan-Wales surveys and monumentassessment projects (see TA 75, 14-15). Detailedreports of these are available through the HERs,summaries are on websites and overviews arepublished more conventionally as journal articles andmonographs. Co-operation can also be seen in thedistinctive Welsh Historic Landscape Characterisationprogramme, with maps, photographs and descriptionsof the historic landscape areas held on the Trusts’websites and introductory leaflets produced to acommon design. It should come as no surprise thatthe Trusts were able to link in and support theWales/Cymru IfA Welsh Archaeological ResearchAgenda initiative and are actively participating in andsupporting the first review (TA 75, 56).

Ironworks and promontory fortsHowever, the Trusts are individual organisations andin addition to developer-driven archaeologicalcontract works they undertake regionally distinctiveinvestigations. Often they have been able to carry outsuch works as long-term projects which enableinsight to be gained into particular monuments ormonument types in their landscapes. To highlight afew examples: Gwynedd Archaeological Trust hasmade a particular study of the Llys and Maerdrefmedieval administrative system that pre-date theEnglish conquest of Wales; Clywd-PowysArchaeological Trust carried out surveys andinvestigations of prehistoric monuments in theWalton Basin; Glamorgan-Gwent ArchaeologicalTrust has just completed a six-year survey ofironworks and their landscapes on the northerncoalfield; and Dyfed Archaeological Trust hasinvestigated promontory forts (revisiting these with

Services These services have been developed with supportfrom the Welsh Office AMB, and then, from 1984, itssuccessor, Cadw. More recently this support has beenin partnership with the Royal Commission on Ancientand Historical Monuments in Wales (RCAHMW) andunitary authorities. With emergence of planningpolicy guidance in the early 1990s and theunderlying ‘polluter pays’ principles, potentialconflicts of interest as a contractor and curator weredealt with through a Code of Practice drawn up bythe Trusts and endorsed by Cadw in 1997. Servicesthat the Trusts provide range from advice at astrategic level (eg Local Development Plans), toplanning casework, advice and actions with regard toforestry and agri-environment schemes. They manageregional Historic Environment Records (HERs) tonationally agreed benchmarks.

Records l iveThis last area has become the particular focus for theTrusts. To protect the records if anything were tohappen to the WATs, separate charitable trusts havebeen created. Funding from RCAHMW has enabledthe WATs to work towards all the first stagebenchmarks for HERs and, with Cadw’s support, they

the benefit of Lidar data provided by the EnvironmentAgency), and other Iron Age defended settlements (TA75, 24-5).

Public projectsCommunity engagement has always been at the coreof activities. The Trusts adopt many commonapproaches but also many variables. Dyfed hasworked with local partners to develop a LandscapePartnership Project in the Tywi Valley and is in thefinal year of delivering a community-led landscapeinvestigation Exploration Tywi! (TA 75, 21). Thisexperience led to a coastal monitoring project,Arfordir, which involves local groups and is to berolled out across other parts of Wales this year.Gwynedd has a highly active and well-functioning‘Friends of the Trust’ set-up, Clwyd-Powys now owntheir own hillfort which will be used for training andlearning experiences, and Glamorgan-Gwent hasembraced web-use with pro-active project micro-sitesand social networking links.

Looking forward there is no doubt that the next fewyears will be challenging. There is no room forcomplacency and the WATs will need to continue tostay rooted, focused, and true to their core purpose.

For more information on the Welsh ArchaeologicalTrusts see www.ggat.org.uk, www.cpat.org.uk;www.heneb.co.uk; www.dyfedarchaeology.org.uk.

Andrew Marvell MIfAGlamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust LtdHeathfield House, HeathfieldSwansea SA1 6EL

[email protected]

Students from local schools are given the opportunity to use

surveying equipment on Clywd-Powys Archaeological Trust’s hillfort

at Beacon Ring in June 2009

Trial excavations by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust at

Oystermouth Castle provided training for students at Swansea

University and excavation experience for the local community

A member of Dyfed

Archaeological

Trust’s staff

supervising

volunteers

excavating burials

at Porth Clew early

medieval cemetery,

Pembrokeshire

Set up in the mid-1970s the four Welsh Archaeological

Trusts (WATs) were created in response to the inability of

museums and universities to respond to the impact of

development on archaeological remains. Each trust was

established ‘to advance the education of the public in

archaeology’ and, amongst other things, was empowered

to undertake archaeological works and surveys, provide

advice, maintain records and safe-keep finds ahead of

eventual deposition. They were set up within defined

regions (Clywd-Powys, Dyfed, Glamorgan-Gwent and

Gwynedd) and, although not restricted to working within

their eponymous regions, they have remained regionally

focused. Like similar archaeological trusts in England they

need to demonstrate public benefit. However, unlike

them, they have retained and developed their heritage

management services.

The Welsh Archaeological TrustsAndrew Marvell


approved for management of archaeological orhistoric sites under the Rural Priorities section of theScottish Rural Development Programme.

OUTREACH Education and outreach via the web and within localcommunities is an important role of ALGAOmembers and there is now a large body of projectswhich demonstrate good practice within this area (forexamples and policies, see the local education andoutreach tab at www.heritagegateway,org,uk; theALGAO Scotland tab; News 2009 on the ALGAOwebsite www.algao.org.uk and the recent EnglishHeritage publication, Sites and Monuments Recordsto Historic Environment Records: local authority casestudies at www.helm.org.uk).

A MILLION RECORDSHowever, probably the most important and vital roleof ALGAO members is maintaining HistoricEnvironment Records (HERs). These are the keyinformation resource for many aspects of the historicenvironment. The development of HERs by localauthorities, in partnership with national governmentsand agencies (especially English Heritage and theRoyal Commissions: RCAHMS & RCAHMW) hasbeen one of the great success stories of UKarchaeology over the past 35 years. HERs containwell over a million records, many now accessible on

ALGAO represents local government archaeology

services throughout the UK. Its members come

from 115 local authorities, which between them

employ around 410 staff and provide geographical

coverage over almost all of England and Wales

(excepting Southend and Portsmouth) and most of

Scotland.

ALGAO members have a vital role in protecting andconserving the historic environment within their area.To do this they provide advice to planningauthorities, developers and archaeologists, ‘advice’which ensures that archaeological work is undertakenby the private sector each year to a value of about£140 million (Hinton and Jennings 2007). An ALGAOsurvey for 2007-08 showed that each member wasresponsible for putting in place archaeologicalprovisions for over 6000 development proposals inEngland (a total of over 10,000), with an equivalentfigure for Scotland of about 1500.

PROTECTION FROM THE PLOUGHALGAO members also advise farmers and landownerson management of the rural historic environment,especially through forestry and agri-environmentschemes. The English Environmental Stewardshipscheme in particular has been a considerable successfor archaeology since its introduction in 2006. Thisadvice has resulted in new resources which improvedmanagement of thousands of archaeological sites,including removal of many from the damaging effectsof ploughing. In Scotland £1 million has been

the internet via the Heritage Gateway in England,PastMap in Scotland, and on individual web sites.

STILL NON-STATUTORYThe network of local government archaeology serviceswhich plays a pivotal role in conserving thearchaeological resource is however a discretionaryfunction of local authorities. There are no statutoryduties or government performance measures whichapply to archaeology services, and most of the sitesand assets (c. 95% of the UK’s total resource)conserved by ALGAO members are non-statutory.There have been several attempts in England, Scotlandand Wales to try to make maintenance of HERs astatutory duty of local government, most recently inthe draft Heritage Bill (England), but these have so farproved unsuccessful (although in PPS 5 it isGovernment policy that all local planning authoritiesshould either maintain or have access to a HER).

As a result, local government archaeology servicesare vulnerable to direct cuts in spending and to othermeasures to reduce resources, to merging of servicesand ‘outsourcing’ to the private sector. Whilst therehas been a reduction in resources for many ALGAOmembers’ services in recent years and some high-profile cuts, most (with notable exceptions) have nothad a substantial direct impact on the conservation ofthe historic environment. However, it is clear thatlocal government will bear the brunt of anticipateddramatic cuts in Government spending, and withinlocal government, non-statutory/discretionary serviceswill be disproportionably targeted. It seems certaintherefore that there will soon be fewer archaeologistsemployed by local government (perhaps many fewer)with consequent reductions in services, which willcreate substantial problems.

MAJOR OPPORTUNITYOn a less pessimistic note, recent publication inEngland of Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning forthe Historic Environment (PPS 5) and itsaccompanying Practice Guide provides a majoropportunity for the sector to improve conservation ofthe historic environment and address some of thehistorical problems of the old PPGs 15 and 16. It alsoprovides a clear and enhanced role for localauthority services, especially for HERs. PPS 5provides opportunities to improve the processes andsystems for dealing with archaeology via the planningprocess, which is especially significant at a time ofrecession and anticipated cuts to the public sector.The sector that engages in development-related

archaeology must be allowed to operate moreefficiently, effectively and co-operatively toimplement the key Government policy objectives inthe PPS and the Government Vision for the HistoricEnvironment. Ensuring that development-led work onthe historic environment contributes to knowledgeand understanding of the past is one of the mostvaluable aspirations of PPS 5 for us to carry forward.

In Scotland the recently introduced HistoricEnvironment Amendment (Scotland) Bill presents anopportunity for the historic environment sector tolobby once again for a statutory duty on localgovernment to maintain Historic Environment Recordservices.

ALGAO will be working closely with IfA, FAME,English Heritage and other partners in England,Scotland and Wales over the next few months todevelop joint agenda and clear priorities for action.Hopefully the momentum for positive change createdby the new PPS 5 in England, the opportunity of theHistoric Environment Amendment (Scotland) Bill, andimpending problems in the public sector throughoutthe UK will provide sufficient incentive to make thenecessary rapid progress.

Stewart Bryant MIfAChair, ALGAO:UK

[email protected]

Hinton P and Jennings D 2007 Quality managementand archaeology in Great Britain: present practiceand future challenges, in Willems W and van denDries M Quality Management in Archaeology 100 –112. Oxford: Oxbow books

Lidar image

showing Roman

Ermin Street as

it climbs the

Cotswold Scarp.

Gloucestershire

County Council

Historic

Environment

Record. © Crown

Copyright

Archaeology and

urban regeneration:

excavation of a

surviving island of

well-preserved

Roman archaeology,

Chester Police HQ.

© Earthworks

Archaeology

ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL OFFICERS: UK Stewart Bryant

ALGAO

ALG

AO

FAME


implementation. The world of contract archaeologyhas changed significantly over the two decades, andFAME strongly believes that the time is now right fora thorough review of the structure of commercialarchaeology in the UK. It is keen to promote the bestprofessional practices in employment, fieldwork andpublication among its members, is concerned aboutvariable standards of contract archaeology andwishes to see a universal level of accreditation forcontract work. It also promotes training anddevelopment and, through the ArchaeologicalTraining Forum, looks forward to working withpartner organisations to develop and retain essentialskills across the sector.

FAME welcomes the requirement in PPS 5 fordevelopers to publish the results of investigations, toencourage public engagement and to depositarchives in museums. However it remains concernedabout the silent crisis arising from the growingvolume of archaeological material held by itsmembers, with no museum willing or able to acceptit. Here again it feels the time is right for a root andbranch review. FAME is concerned too about cuts inlocal government archaeological planning andadvisory services. The present network has beenpainstakingly built up over the past three decadesand has led to widespread acceptance by thecommercial world both of the value of the historicenvironment and the need for its conservation,recording and publication. It has also laid thefoundations of the modern profession, and any lossor significant reduction in its provision would haveserious consequences for professional archaeologicalwork in the UK.

Publication of PPS 5 marks a new era in themanagement of all aspects of the English historicenvironment: successful implementation will dependupon the resourcefulness and collaboration ofpractitioners in all sectors. FAME is committed toworking in partnership for the benefit of theprofession. A first step is to devote its annual OpenDay on 2 July in York to a ground-breaking jointmeeting with its curatorial colleagues from ALGAO,to explore how the two organisations can togetherensure that the gains of the past twenty years aretaken forward.

Adrian Tindall MIfAChief Executive, [email protected]

The Federation of Archaeological Managersand Employers (FAME) represents employersin commercial archaeological organisationsand the interests of archaeology in thebusiness world. Its membership includesaround seventy archaeological practices fromthe commercial sector, universities and localauthorities in England, Scotland and Wales. It started life in 1975 as the StandingConference of Archaeological Unit Managers(SCAUM), changing its name in 2008 toreflect more accurately its purpose andmembership. To make itself more effective,FAME recently appointed Adrian Tindall, whohas over thirty years in local governmentarchaeology, as its first Chief Executive.

Pioneering work on safe working practices began inthe 1970s with publication of the first Health andsafety in field archaeology manual. This work hascontinued, with publication in 2006 of a new editionof the manual and regular updates for members oncurrent legislation and best practice in health andsafety. It is concerned too with best practice inarchaeological employment, and in encouragingconditions in which archaeological businesses canthrive. It publishes an Employment Practice Manualand, in partnership with IfA, has monitored theeffects of the economic downturn on the professionthrough its quarterly survey of market data on jobs,skills and business confidence.

FAME has given a cautious welcome to PPS 5,though it has expressed concerns about its

The voluntary sector, particularly through communityarchaeology initiatives, is playing an increasinglysignificant role in archaeology in Britain. In 2009 CBAappointed a Community Archaeology SupportOfficer, funded by the Headley Trust, to research thelocation, scale and needs of community archaeologythroughout the UK. This project found that around219,000 individuals may be involved in archaeologyin a voluntary capacity, over double those found 22years ago in a similar CBA survey.

The survey phase attracted responses from 504 grouprepresentatives (25% response). Involvement inexcavations, historic buildings recording, archivalresearch and lobbying for local heritage issues wereall included. Groups contacted included county anddistrict archaeological societies, communityarchaeology and local history groups, civic societies,natural history groups and even metal detectingsocieties. There was a wide range of outputs and avariety of perceived training needs, the most popularbeing historical research methods, landscape survey,fundraising and finds identification.

Another significant finding was the extent ofinteraction with professional archaeologists. Only13% had had no contact, the majority of these beinghistorical societies although there were a smallnumber of archaeological societies too. Contact wasmost likely to be with a local authority archaeologist(67%), archaeologists attached to a museum (46%) ora university (45%), or Finds Liaison Officers (39%).

As well as the questionnaire, we undertook anextensive programme of discussion and consultationwith both archaeological practitioners and membersof the voluntary sector. A number of key issues

emerged. One of the most significant findings, andone which CBA is now aiming to pursue anddevelop, was a need for appropriate and accessiblestandards and guidance for voluntary groups carryingout archaeological projects. Several groups felt thatclear guidance, especially if aligned with appropriate(and perhaps accredited) training would empower thevoluntary sector by engendering confidence amongparticipants that their work is making a meaningfulcontribution to archaeological research and records,rather than destroying significant information out of alack of awareness of current best practice.

Professional archaeologists felt that clearer guidancefor the voluntary sector, maintaining the message ofIfA Standards and guidance but presented in a moreaccessible manner, would be desirable. At workshopsorganised by CBA in September 2009 and again atthe IfA 2010 conference there were discussions onthe potential for clear standards to encouragecommunity archaeology participants to consider thewhole archaeological process, including post-excavation analysis and archiving.

Over the coming months CBA will work withpartners in developing and acting onrecommendations made from this research.Community Archaeology in the UK: recent findings isavailable at www.britarch.ac.uk/research/community,and data from the questionnaire section will beavailable in due course. For further information onplans to support community archaeology, [email protected].

Suzie ThomasCommunity Archaeology Support OfficerCouncil for British Archaeology

Health and safety

briefing on the East

Kent Access Road

project. © Oxford

Wessex Archaeology

AdrianTindall

Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers

Participants at

CBA’s Community

Archaeology

Workshop and

Networking Event

in Leicester last

September.

Photograph: Suzie

Thomas

THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR Suzie Thomas

39S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

market-driven trend towards greater standardisationof basic file formats to handle text, spreadsheets, anddatabases. On the other hand, archaeological dataare increasingly ‘born digital’, and there is no papersurrogate to fall back upon. Archaeologists have alsobeen at the leading edge in adopting new recordingtechnologies, such as laser-scanning or imaging, andthese approaches frequently create large data sets inproprietary formats.

User expectations also increase. It is easy to forgetthat when ADS launched its first ArchSearchcatalogue in 1997 the web had only just beeninvented. Now services which aggregate multipledata sources are commonplace in the commercialweb sector, and users also expect to tailor their ownweb experience. Consumers of archaeological dataexpect a similar level of service from scholarly andprofessional resources, and bodies such as ADS mustcontinually enhance their user interfaces. For the lasttwo years ADS staff have been working on the thirdgeneration of ArchSearch.

COSTS AND THE FUTUREMaintaining a digital archive costs money, so ADS is striving to streamline its processes (throughapplications such as Fedora) to drive down costs inthe face of the increasing size and complexity ofarchives. The ADS business model still remains: aone-off charge at the point of deposit, designed tocover the costs of accessioning, ingest, and futuremigration. The deposit charge needs to be adequatefor ADS to fund future contingencies. It is importantthat the policy is open and transparent. Costs should be passed onto those responsible for thearchaeological work being undertaken, whether acommercial developer or a research funding agency.After all, if the work is worth doing then the results

are surely worth telling people about, and certainlyworth safeguarding for future generations.

Julian D Richards MIfADirector, Archaeology Data Service Department of ArchaeologyUniversity of YorkThe King’s ManorYork, YO1 7EP

[email protected]


and online access to grey literature are still notroutine specifications. In many cases, and in theabsence of other procedure, the responsibility fallsupon the contractor. Larger contracting organisationsmay have the resources to maintain their own digitaldata but most do not, and an alarming number ofarchaeologists still regard keeping a copy of their fileson a DVD as a digital archiving policy. In particularwe fear that provision is rarely made for preservationof specialist data sets – such as artefacts, faunal orhuman remains – which are often created byfreelance subcontractors and never archived.

Part of the challenge is that digital archiving is stillseen as something of a black art, and few understandwhat is involved or what it costs. ADS is currentlyinvesting in a high quality and innovative repository,using an open source software application, Fedora.Fedora provides a digital asset managementarchitecture, upon which many types of digitallibraries, institutional repositories, and digital archivescan be built. It will allow ADS to automate manyprocesses involved in dissemination, managementand migration of its archival holdings. It also allowsADS to comply with archival procedures enshrined inthe digital archiving model known as the OAIS (OpenArchival Information System), an ISO standard whichoriginated in NASA.

UPDATING AND EXPECTATIONSAn added problem is that this is a rapidly changingfield. Over the last twenty years there has been a

The Archaeology Data Service was setup in 1996, and whilst we like to thinkwe are an established and essentialpart of the archaeological landscapewe are still a young organisation with a lot to do. People are at least nowaware of the acute dangers of losingprimary archaeological data in digitalform. Steps to tackle the problem arebeing taken in a number of countriesand ADS has become part of a growing international network ofdigital archives for cultural heritagedata. There is also massive interest ingaining access to the data, not justfrom academic researchers andprofessionals. ADS usage statisticsdemonstrate that the voluntary sectorand interested public are also keen to access information about the past.A large proportion of this demandcomes from overseas; web accessprovides a shop window for UKarchaeological research.

ARCHIVES AT RISKIn some parts of the UK however, archiving coverageis still patchy, with high risk of data loss. Thosefunded by research councils or by national heritageagencies are relatively well provided for, as theseorganisations take their responsibilities seriously, andwhere research is funded from the public purse thereis generally a mandate for ongoing digitalpreservation and access. But some archaeologicalcurators have felt unable to adopt a firm position,although maybe the explicit statement on the needfor digital archiving adopted in the new PPS 5guidance notes will help. To date, safeguards for data

ARCHAEOLOGYDATA SERVICE

Julian Richards

41S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

Catherine HardmanCollections Development ManagerArchaeology Data [email protected]

Bradley R 2006 Bridging the two cultures –commercial archaeology and the study of PrehistoricBritain, Antiquaries Journal 86, 1-13

M 2010 Hidden treasure, Nature 464, 826-7

Lock G 2008 A professional mockery, Brit Archaeol101, 36-7

Page requests within the Grey

Literature Library and the number of

Grey Literature reports downloaded

since the start of the library

The proportion of GLADE survey

respondents who use the grey

literature reports generated by others


survey findings are still to be reported, but there aresome general points of interest that could beexplored further.

Digital versionsIt is evident that the archaeological communitymakes use of grey literature which has beengenerated by others as part of their daily work. Whileit is encouraging to find that there is a high reuserate, many people want to access it immediately andonline; this has several implications for theprofession. Firstly, reports need to be in a digitalformat. Many contracting organisations hold reportsprimarily as digital files, but this is less common incuratorial and local government bodies where theprimary copy is often on paper and any digitalversion is considered a ‘back-up’. While manyorganisations are tempted to free up shelf space byundertaking digitisation projects, this is often donewithout regard to the potential problems of findingthe document again or searching within documentsto refine queries.

Indexing A second implication is that, to make searchesmeaningful and useful, the reports needs toeffectively indexed. Imagine trying to find informationabout a particular period or location in the holdingsof the ADS Grey Literature Library without a searchfacility. The Grey Literature Library works from anindex built from OASIS records. A researcher wouldhave to be very committed to scroll down a list ofmore than 5000 file names hoping to stumble uponthe information they required. While there arerelatively low costs associated with scanning projects,there may be a higher cost in creating an effectiveindex. However, there may be technologicalsolutions, such as use of natural language processingsoftware, which could automate an indexing process.

But the aim of digitisation and indexing is really tocreate a sustainable research resource for the widerprofession, based on the large body of workcontained within our grey literature holdings. Theemphasis should be on sustainability. Efforts to makesuch a collection available online need to beunderpinned by robust archival strategies.

Our wish is to work with all sectors of the professionto achieve greater meaningful access and to create asustainable resource to improve and enhance ourknowledge of British archaeology.

As many researchers realise,thousands of grey literature reports,primarily produced as a result ofplanning-led archaeologicalinvestigations, provide a wealth ofinformation. Recent work by Bradley(2006) has argued that access to thisarchaeological resource leads toradical new interpretations andenhanced understanding of Britisharchaeology. On the other hand, Lock (2008) and Ford (2010) haveemphasised the difficulties in gaining this access.

Unpublished fieldworkSince 2005 OASIS, an online archaeological eventrecording system, and its associated Library ofUnpublished Fieldwork Reports, known colloquiallyas the Grey Literature Library, have made a largeproportion of these reports available and secure in adigital archive. Both services are hosted at theArchaeology Data Service (ADS) (p38), and areentirely open access and free for users. OASISwelcomes reports from all sectors of the archaeologicalprofession: commercial, academic, community andvolunteer-based. The Grey Literature Library is nowthe largest collection of online archaeological reportsin the UK. Some 5000+ have already been released,and the library is increasing by approximately 200reports per month. Archaeologists of all kinds arealready taking advantage of these. The library issustaining hundreds of thousands of hits anddownloads of reports each year.

But the opportunity to place grey literature in thelibrary via OASIS has only been available since 2005,and it is difficult to assess exactly how many reportswritten between implementation of PPG16 and 2005exist, and even more difficult to discover how manyof these are available in digital form. The EnglishHeritage-funded GLADE project (Grey Literature:Access, Dissemination and Enhancement),undertaken earlier this year, took a ‘broad brush’approach in an attempt to judge how much greyliterature existed in digital form and what potentialusers thought about its reuse value. The project’s

Our grey literature legacy: opportunity or headache? Catherine Hardman

43S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

In 2005, English Heritage and the Church of England published Guidanceon best practice for treatment of human remains excavated fromChristian burial grounds in England. Inthe wake of this, the Advisory Panel onthe Archaeology of Christian Burials inEngland (APACBE), was set up(http://www.britarch.ac.uk/churches/humanremains/) to encourage use of theGuideline, to formulate new guidelines as necessary, and to provide professionalsinvolved with archaeological humanremains with a source of caseworkadvice. This panel has been successful in these aims, but threw into relief thelack of a comparable source of advice for non-Christian remains. To remedy this, English Heritage, the Church ofEngland, and the Ministry of Justice, asthe three organisations with statutoryresponsibilities for archaeological burialsin England, consulted on a proposal towind up APACBE, and replace it with anew advisory panel covering all burialsexcavated from archaeological sites inEngland. The consultation responses were overwhelmingly in support of thisproposal.

The new panel, the Advisory Panel on theArchaeology of Burials in England (APABE) issponsored by the three bodies with statutoryresponsibility, and DCMS supports its creation. Theinaugural meeting was in February 2010, with apanel of professionals including archaeologists,osteologists and museum staff. Save for

representatives of the sponsors, members are selectedfor their own personal background and experiencerather than as representatives of an organisation. Thepanel has 23 members and the Chair is currentlyJoseph Elders and Secretary Simon Mays, but in thecoming year the panel will hold elections for theseposts.

The aims of the panel are firstly to provide a sourceof casework advice on scientific, legal, ethical andother matters to professionals who deal witharchaeological human remains. Secondly, it willsupport those involved with human remains ininterpreting guidance documents issued in 2005 byDCMS (Guidance for the care of human remains inmuseums) and English Heritage / Church of England(Guidance for best practice for treatment of humanremains excavated from Christian burial grounds inEngland). Thirdly, it will produce new guidancewhere necessary.

The panel is currently working on policy papers onancient DNA, crypt clearances, and dealing withlarge burial grounds, and it has initiated work on aguideline on best practice for human remains fromnon-Christian burial sites in England to supplementthe 2005 guideline on remains from Christian burialgrounds. Its website will shortly be up and running,but in the meantime please contact Simon Mays([email protected]) or JosephElders ([email protected]) for further detailsor to request casework advice.

Simon MaysEnglish Heritage

Secretary, Advisory Panel on the Archaeology ofBurials in England

Exc avat ing human remains :a new guidance panelSimon Mays


English Heritage is also funding a Survey of samianpractices which will contribute to broader strategyand agenda, develop more specific proposals fortraining and awareness seminars, and promoteguidelines, standards and research priorities. Relatedto this, the Samian Working Group and AAIS(Association of Archaeological Illustrators &Surveyors) are producing a technical paper onstandards of illustration for samian. The emphasisnow is on publishing rubbings, rather than drawings,of decorated sherds and stamps, as good rubbings aremore accurate and consume less time.

Brian Hartley’s archives of potters’ stamps are nowbeing published by Brenda Dickinson, as Names onTerra Sigillata (Institute of Classical Studies, 9 Vols),but there were also rubbings of decorated samianfrom 382 sites which he, Brenda Dickinson, KayHartley, Felicity Wild and other friends had madeover fifty years. Many of the rubbings weredeteriorating as their tissue paper became brittle anddiscoloured, and much had never been fullypublished. With support from the Roman ResearchTrust and the Haverfield Trust, Robert Hopkins hasmounted and scanned this material. The proposal isto publish the British material in DVD format,allowing the rubbings to be enhanced using anysuitable programme. Copies will be ready for sale atour Conference. Lower resolution images will beavailable on the SGRP website.

SGRP prizes and bursaries include the GrahamWebster conference bursary, which supportsattendance at our conference, and the John GillamPrize, for work on pottery from Roman Britain. The2009 Gillam Prize for excellence in publication wentposthumously to Jill Braithwaite for Faces from thepast: a study of Roman Face Pots from Italy and theWestern Provinces of the Roman Empire, BAR IntSeries 1651. Jill’s work incorporated many facets ofRoman archaeology and so, in consultation with herfamily, her prize formed the basis of a bursary at the2010 Roman Archaeology Conference.

The SGRP 2010 conference will take place at theUniversity of Nottingham, 2 to 4 July. It includes akiln firing and a practical session on wineconsumption (!) as well as more traditional papers.See www.sgrp.org.uk for further details.

Jane Evans MIfAHon. President [email protected]

The Study Group for Roman Pottery (SGRP) has severalprojects of importance to the wider archaeological sector,along with conference bursaries and prizes for thosewishing to develop a specialisation in Roman pottery.

Digitisation of Vivien Swan’s Pottery Kilns of Roman Britain (1984),currently underway, will make the volume widely accessible, includingits microfiche gazetteer. The aim is to bring the gazetteer up to date andmaintain it as a resource for anyone involved in excavation or research ofRoman kilns. We have also been commissioned by English Heritage tocompile a Research strategy and updated agenda for the study of Romanpottery in Britain. The project, by Rob Perrin, will review and updatecurrent research agenda and produce a strategy, agreed by the sector andcontaining clear priorities. Many IfA members have responded to thequestionnaire. Initial results of the questionnaire, literature search andinformation trawl were presented at regional meetings this spring. An‘audit’ of the wider profession, in terms of universities, museums,journals, local government and commercial organisations is currentlyunderway, so please respond to this survey (addresses below).

The Study Group for Roman Pottery Jane Evans

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/255743/local-government-ceramic-surveyhttp://www.surveygizmo.com/s/255807/university-ceramic-survey http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/255819/museum-ceramic-surveyhttp://www.surveygizmo.com/s/255849/contracting-unit-ceramic-survey http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/255853/journal-ceramic-survey


the start of modern professional archaeology aboutforty years ago. By the time Everill reaches hisconclusions he has mellowed. He calls forimprovements in training which match very closelyIfA’s ambitions (perhaps having benefited from hisrole as a consultant on Profiling the profession 2007-08), and his criticisms of the pitfalls of ‘self-employed’ fieldworking are very valid indeed.Tony Watson wrote in Sociology, work and industry(1995) that there are three possible roles for thesociology of work and industry. Firstly, it can be a‘servant of power’ that supports employers’objectives. Too strong a reaction to this can lead to itbecoming a marginal and disengaged academicactivity. For it to fulfil a third, synthetic role, it has tobecome a resource that informs human choice.Everill’s book, unfortunately, rests in the secondcamp. It tells us little that we didn’t already know,and will do little to change engrained attitudes. But itdoes add to the amount of research in this area and,taken in context it will contribute to a greaterunderstanding of work in archaeology today.

Kenneth Aitchison MIfAHead of Projects and Professional Development, IfA

The Invisible Diggers: a study of Britishcommercial archaeologyPaul EverillOxbow Books: Heritage Research Series 1 2009, £24.95,

216pp

The Invisible Diggers is three things – an overview ofthe historical development of archaeologicalemployment, a report on the author’s participant-observer research carried out while digging, andanalysis of an online questionnaire. The historicalresearch adds to the limited work that has been doneon the history of archaeological practice. Theanthropological digging is also good, but where thiswork falls down is in the questionnaire-basedsociology.

Everill applies political engagement to hisquantitative work and this impairs his methodology.The survey asks questions that are not value-free andstart from the assumption that things are wrong withBritish archaeology, and then it targets respondentswho would be likely to agree with this assumption –archaeologists working in junior fieldwork posts. Thequestionnaire was a non-systematic, open instrumentdistribution survey, so allowing any potentialrespondent to answer the questionnaire. Everill isable to declare that there is ‘76.60% of the professionfeeling that commercial archaeology was eitheralready in a crisis, or would be if nothing were doneto change the current system’. While the views of329 people are a good sample of professionalarchaeologists (5%), this sample is not evenlydistributed or random.

This reviewer has to declare an interest. Everill’shypothesis is that some archaeologists were notincluded in the Profiling the profession research,which I lead. These are the ‘invisible diggers’ of thebook’s title, which claims that there is ‘… a suspicionamong site staff that the under-30s were under-represented in both [Profiling the profession 1998 and2003] surveys’ and that ‘Some in the IFA now believethat many of their responses did not include juniorstaff …’. Everill also thinks the Profiling the professionsalary figures are ‘distorted’ (upwards) by includingacademics, consultants and other senior members ofthe profession. Everill’s respondents are paid less thanthe Profiling the profession averages – but he wasspecifically aiming to collect data from junior sitestaff, for whom this has been an emotive issue since

New membersELECTED Member (MIfA)

Christopher

Bowles

Les Capon

Emma-Jayne

Hopla

Andrew

Hutcheson

Peter Popkin

Adam Thompson

Associate (AIfA)

Christer Carlsson

Amanda Dickson

Jacek

Gruszczyński

Mark James

Jeremy Mordue

Paul Riccoboni

Andy Sherman

Karina Williams

Practitioner (PIfA)

James Brown

Angus Crawford

Clionadh McGarry

Stuart Milby

Claire Williamson

Student

Duncan Berryman

Brian Brett

Clare Butler

Ruth Butler

Chris Chinnock

Sarah-Jane

Clelland

Joanna Dunster

Kay Hamilton

Edmund Hughes-

Ford

Rebecca Hunt

Emma Jeffery

Laura Jane Kaylow

Matthew Leonard

Sophie Lord

Owain Mason

Jessica Murray

Ruth Nugent

Luke Paton

Joanne Robinson

Nadine Ross

Thomas Slater

Emma Smith

James Sugrue

Chantel

Summerfield

Tessa Till

Nickolas Timlin

Simon Tootell

Gemma Ward

Kirsty Whittall

Jo Williamson

Affiliate

Jo Ahmet

Carole Bancroft-

Croft

Anne Bobby

Frank Boese

Alastair Bolton

Ruth Bordoli

Heather Butler

Thomas Cousins

Leslie Dodd

Peter Forrester

Deborah Frearson

Sabrina Gillman

Carl Hayward

Gillian Holmes

Jason Hunt

Rosie Ireland

Kathryn Jackson

Katie Keefe

Joanne Lee

Paul Marr

Helene McNeill

Deborah Nadal

Thomas Penny

TRANSFERS Member (MIfA)

Graeme Cavers

Nigel Jones

Martin Railton

Nick Snashall

Practitioner (PIfA)

Paul Bowen

Richard Israel

Zsolt Magyar

Steven Milne

ME

MB

ER

S

RE

VI

EW

47T h e A r c h a e o l o g i s t S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 N u m b e r 7 6

Alison Cameron MIfA 1531After graduating in Archaeological Sciences atBradford University Alison studied human remainsunder Charlotte Roberts and Keith Manchester andworked as a human remains specialist for two years, helping analyse Carmelite remains fromAberdeen, Perth and Linlithgow. She then worked in Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unitfrom1986, in charge of excavation and post-excavation. After 1994 she operated a contractingorganisation within the Council, the only one inScotland in which work included curation ofexhibitions and training archaeology students. The pinnacle of her work was the 2006 year-longexcavation of a thousand burials, 3.5 tons ofdisarticulated human bone and four medievalchurches at the East Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen(http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/LocalHistory/loc/loc_ArchKirkNicholas.asp). 14,000 people visited the dig within that year. Savings required to be made

by Aberdeen City Council in 2010 meant that shewas made redundant, and so started CameronArchaeology, with the intention of continuing totender for fieldwork whilst also being involved ineducation and research.

Alison Cameron (in purple) discussing a post-medieval pottery site

with descendants of the last potter who owned the site

Members news

Alan McWhirr BSc, MA, PhD, FSA, MIfA 2141937-2010

Alan McWhirr, Honorary Fellow in the School ofArchaeology and Ancient History at Leicester, dugwith Sheppard Frere at Verulamium as a schoolboybefore studying at the University of Leicester in 1957and becoming a school teacher (maths andchemistry), 1960-1968. However, thanks to his shortdigging experience he was put in charge of studentfield courses on a Roman villa at Tixover in Rutlandand in his holidays went on to direct excavations inCirencester from 1965 until the mid-1970s, withsupport from the University of Leicester. Hecontinued his holiday excavations when he became alecturer in Environmental Studies at Leicester Collegeof Education (later Leicester Polytechnic), and whenCirencester Excavation Committee handed itsresponsibilities to Cotswold Archaeological Trust in1989 Alan remained as a voluntary director. He wasPresident of Cirencester Archaeological andHistorical Society 1987-1997, and he wrote or co-wrote the first four volumes of CirencesterExcavations. He also wrote popular books on Romantopics and contributed articles to popular andlearned journals throughout his life.

He gained a PhD for his work on the Roman brickand tile industry in Britain, and wrote widely on thistopic. Following early retirement from LeicesterPolytechnic he joined the Department of Archaeologyat Leicester in 1988 on a part-time basis. WhenGraeme Barker initiated distance learning courses inarchaeology and heritage in 1996, Alan took this on,and made Leicester the world leader in archaeologycourses by distance learning.

He was a valued member of LeicestershireArchaeological Advisory Committee, and when thecounty archaeological unit was dissolved in 1995 hewas instrumental in persuading the University to takeit on, establishing the University of LeicesterArchaeological Services. Alan has also been heavilyinvolved in preservation of the historic fabric ofchurches in the county, as churchwarden, and aschair of Leicestershire Historic Churches Trust and ofthe Diocesan Advisory Committee. He producedmany church leaflets for the Millennium.

Much of Alan’s professional life has therefore beenconcerned with the practice and teaching ofarchaeology. His excavations in Roman Cirencester

greatly advanced knowledge of urban life in RomanBritain. He was an inspired teacher and alwayswilling to speak to local groups and take them roundsites and museums. Alan carried his interest in thehistoric environment over into multifarious voluntaryactivities in the City and County of Leicester, utilisinghis skills in diplomacy, written and oralcommunication, organisation and marketing. Hisskills in local radio and magazine editing haveensured that the people of Leicester are well aware oftheir archaeological and historical heritage. Those ofus who also work for the study of history andarchaeology in the city and county are trying to cometo terms with just how much he did, and he will besadly missed. He is survived by his wife Helen andhis children Rachel and James.

Marilyn PalmerEmeritus Professor of ArchaeologyUniversity of Leicester

Obituary

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Peter Popkin MIfA 6233Peter Popkin is aCanadianzooarchaeologist,specialising in Europeand the easternMediterranean region.After graduating inCanada he moved toEngland and received hisPhD from the Institute ofArchaeology, UCL. Aswell as excavating in sixcountries, he has taught

at several UK universities. He worked for theMuseum of London Specialist Services, EnglishHeritage and held the position of Post-doctoralResearch Fellow at the British Institute at Ankara.Currently, he runs Popkin Zooarchaeological Services([email protected]).

Beth Asbury AIfA 4635After working for IfA for over five years, Beth Asbury,our Membership Administrator, is moving to awarmer climate. She is now in Cairo, asAdministrative Assistant for the ‘Foreign Office’ of theSupreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt. She hasenjoyed her time at the IfA, is proud of herinvolvement with its work and will miss everyoneimmensely. If you would like to keep in touch, orfancy a trip to Cairo, contact Beth’s colleagues in theIfA office, who willbe pleased to passyour messages on.

Beth Asbury

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Peter Popkin

Alan with wheelbarrow

at The Beeches,

Cirencester, 1971

Alan McWhirr at the launch of ‘Digging up our Past’, a history of 50

years of teaching archaeology at the University of Leicester, which he

wrote with Marilyn Palmer and Neil Christie

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The ARCHAEOLOGIST

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